Eng dropped Crawley & Pope / 3 Un-Capped on june 4 test

Changes are better for the team

Eng starts test series vs NZ on june 4

England squad for 1st Test: Ben Stokes (c), Rehan Ahmed, Gus Atkinson, Sonny Baker, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Ben Duckett, Matthew Fisher, Emilio Gay, James Rew, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue.

Marcus North (aus) named Men's National Selector

England leave out Crawley, Pope for Lord's

Emilio Gay has scored 552 runs at an average of 92 for Durham in the ongoing County Championship season

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