Harry Brook and Matthew Potts named in Ben Stokes' first Test squad

They are the only newcomers in a 13-man squad for the first two matches against world Test champions New Zealand, with James Anderson and Stuart Broad both returning

Harry Brook and Matthew Potts have been named in England's Test squad for the first time as a new era for the national side begins with a host of familiar names.

As reported by The Cricketer on Tuesday, they are the only newcomers in a 13-man squad for the first two matches against world Test champions New Zealand, who won a two-game series in England last summer.

Jonny Bairstow is included alongside Ben Foakes despite having spent the first month of the season on Indian Premier League duty, while – as expected – Stuart Broad and James Anderson both return.

It is the first squad selected under the new leadership triumvirate of managing director Rob Key, captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum, and they have resisted the temptation to make wholesale changes. As well as the trio, the selection panel also included performance director Mo Bobat, head scout James Taylor and player ID lead David Court.

With injuries to a host of fast bowlers – Saqib Mahmood and Matt Fisher the latest to succumb to back problems – there is no place for Jamie Overton, who has started the domestic season impressively for Surrey, though his brother, Craig, retains his place and seems a likely candidate to bat at No.8.

There is no place for Matt Parkinson, tipped in many quarters to finally make his Test debut this summer, with Jack Leach pencilled in as Stokes' first-choice spinner against Kane Williamson's side.

Brook and Potts have both been rewarded for exceptional starts to the County Championship summer: Brook has 758 runs in five games, averaging 151.6, while Potts has picked up 35 wickets at 18.57 apiece – 13 more than the next-best English seamer – in a month where batters have dominated across the board.

^{Stuart Broad and James Anderson return after being left out for the tour of the Caribbean (David Gray/AFP via Getty Images)}

"With a blend of youth and experience, we have selected an exciting squad that can compete with New Zealand in next month's Test series," said Key.

"We have rewarded players in Harry Brook and Matty Potts who have had outstanding starts to the county season, and they deserve the opportunity to stake a claim at this level."

At the top of the order, England have kept faith with Zak Crawley, who has started the season inauspiciously: 111 players have scored more runs in the opening month of the County Championship, with potential alternatives such as Dom Sibley and Sam Robson making eye-catching centuries against Lancashire and Nottinghamshire, respectively.

Alongside Crawley, Alex Lees has been retained after making his Test debut in the Caribbean. Only Joe Root faced more balls in the series than Lees, though the opener struggled to score at times and ended the tour with a high score of 31.

The squad will come together for a camp next week, before reporting to London on May 29 ahead of the start of the Test summer, which begins on June 2, with England having won just one of their last 18 Tests.

England squad: Ben Stokes, James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Foakes, Jack Leach, Alex Lees, Craig Overton, Matthew Potts, Ollie Pope, Joe Root