England leave out Crawley, Pope for Lord's season opener

England have dropped both Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope for the opening Test of the home summer against New Zealand at Lord's, as the selectors ushered in a fresh-looking squad featuring three uncapped players.

Durham batter Emilio Gay, Hampshire quick Sonny Baker and Somerset keeper-bat James Rew earned maiden Test call-ups in the 15-man squad announced on Wednesday for the first Test starting on June 4. Rehan Ahmed, Matthew Fisher and Ollie Robinson also returned to the Test fold.

The omission of Crawley and Pope marks a significant reset at the top order after a forgettable Ashes series. Crawley aggregated 273 runs at 27 with the bat while Pope made only 125 runs from three Tests before he was left out for the final two games of the series. England have opted instead to reward strong County Championship performances. Gay, 26, has been among the standout batters in Division One this season, scoring 552 runs at an average of 92 for Durham, including three centuries.

Rew, meanwhile, continues his rapid rise through the English system. The 22-year-old left-hander has already compiled 12 first-class centuries - the most by any player aged 22 or younger in County Championship history - and has impressed consistently for Somerset and the England Lions.

Baker's inclusion underlines England's continued investment in raw pace. The Hampshire seamer, who made his white-ball debut last year, has taken 14 wickets in this season's Championship and is regarded as one of the quickest young bowlers in the county game.

England have also recalled Rehan, who is currently representing Delhi Capitals in the IPL. Despite already playing 10 Tests, all of Ahmed's appearances have come overseas, meaning he is yet to feature in a home Test. Jacob Bethell, who is with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, will join the squad straight after his IPL commitment.

Meanwhile, Ollie Robinson returns after last playing Test cricket in February 2024, while Surrey seamer Matthew Fisher is back in contention following a strong run in county cricket. England managing director Rob Key said the squad reflected a blend of "proven international quality, strong county form and players with huge potential to develop at Test level."

"We've selected a squad that we believe has a really exciting blend of proven international quality, strong county form and players with huge potential to develop at Test level," Key said.

"It's also great to welcome back players like Rehan, Matt and Ollie, who all bring different qualities and experience to the group. Competition for places remains incredibly strong and that's exactly where we want to be as a Test team."

Key also confirmed that Jofra Archer would miss the opening Test as England continue to manage his return to red-ball cricket following an extended period on the road with franchise commitments.

"Marcus stood out through his knowledge of the domestic game, his experience across different environments and the relationships he has built throughout county cricket over a long period of time," Key said on North's selection to the post.

"He has been heavily involved in the county game for many years, both as a player and more recently during eight successful years as Director of Cricket at Durham, where he has earned huge respect across the game. Marcus also brings international pedigree from his time playing for Australia, and we believe his experience and understanding of the player pathway and high performance environment will be a real asset to England Men's cricket."

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