Two Lancastrians and two Yorkshiremen: Meet the uncapped members of England's much-changed squad

DOM HOGAN: Much of the focus on England's Test squad for the Caribbean understandably revolved around the absences of Stuart Broad and James Anderson. In amongst the changes, however, there are four men awaiting their debuts

England's squad announcement yesterday evening raised several eyebrows, mostly due to some notable omissions.

But with the ominously ongoing red-ball review, which will likely take some time, selectors have clearly gone with youth for the upcoming tour of the Caribbean in something of a changing-of-the-guard moment.

Whether this is a statement of future intent or not, this tour represents the opportunity for four previously uncapped players to make their mark on the Test team. 

Alex Lees

Lees has been on the England radar for a number of years, featuring in England Lions sides touring Sri Lanka and South Africa, captaining the side in Australia in December.

After making his first-class debut in 2013, Lees became the youngest Yorkshire batter to score a double hundred, with an unbeaten 225 against Derbyshire in 2013, and seemed destined to open the batting for his country.

But a drop-off in form halted his rise before a move to Durham in 2018 reignited his career, and with Zak Crawley the only other opener in the squad, Lees looks set to make that belated debut in the Caribbean.

The Durham left-hander has scored 7,075 runs in 127 first-class matches, with 625 runs coming in last season's Championship, notching a century and five fifties with an average of 39.06.

After a year of consistently low scores for English openers, fans will be hoping that he can bounce back from his disappointing return in the Lions' sole match in Australia to provide a foundation for the likes of Joe Root and Ben Stokes to build on.

Lees brings a steady if unspectacular face to the top of England's order, but in a year where openers seem to be dropping like flies, that is perhaps just what they need.

^{Saqib Mahmood has impressed for England in white-ball cricket and was tipped at one stage to make his Test debut during the Ashes (Gareth Copley/Getty Images)}

Matt Parkinson

After his best County Championship season in 2021, Parkinson will understandably have been disappointed not to receive a call up to England's Ashes squad.

But as England ring the changes for their latest squad, Parkinson takes Dom Bess' spot, presumably as the back-up spin option to Jack Leach.

The Lancashire leg-spinner was in lethal form in 2021, taking 36 Championship wickets with season-best figures of 9 for 164 against Kent.

Despite taking only two fewer wickets than new England team-mate Leach, Parkinson's average of 20.55 was much higher than Leach (30.02) and was largely inexpensive with an economy of 2.30.

Parkinson has not featured in a competitive game since 2021; strangely, he didn't figure in the one-off red-ball game between England Lions and Australia A during the Ashes tour, with both he and fellow leggie Mason Crane left out. Parkinson was rewarded for his outstanding white-ball record with a partial replacement deal at Peshawar Zalmi.

Saqib Mahmood

Mahmood is the second Lancashire bowler to make the 16-man squad, although perhaps not the seam bowler many would have expected.

Mahmood is another to have featured for England's limited-over sides, impressing against Pakistan last year, but still waits to receive his first Test cap.

After taking no wickets in the recent T20I series in Barbados, Mahmood will be hoping to make more of an impact with the red ball.

Last season in the Championship he recorded his maiden first-class five-fer, against Yorkshire in May, ending the season with 28 wickets in eight matches at an average of 23.89.

In addition to top-order fragilities, England's bowlers suffered with the lack of pace options in Australia, with only Mark Wood regularly capable of 90mph speeds.

But in the prolonged absence of the injured Jofra Archer, Mahmood will look to change that and act as a second genuine pace option to bolster the England attack.

And in the absence of England's two most prolific wicket-takers, he will surely be given a golden opportunity to do so.

^{Alex Lees captained the England Lions team in Australia and Matt Fisher impressed observers with his pace (Patrick Hamilton/AFP via Getty Images)}

Matthew Fisher

Despite making his first-class debut at 17, Fisher's career has been continuously punctuated by injuries, playing just 21 matches for Yorkshire.

Regularly bowling at speeds between 80 and 85mph, Fisher has been a player that many have watched expectantly, and it seems that in recent years he has begun to deliver on that promise.

Last season he took 9 for 64 in Yorkshire's thrashing of Somerset, and the tall right-armer was another to travel to Australia with the Lions in December, opening the bowling alongside Mahmood and impressing.

He ended the Championship season having played only five games for Yorkshire, but with an impressive return of 20 wickets at 19.65 apiece, taking his overall tally to 63 in the competition.

Though yet to feature in any format for the senior team, Fisher will hope to capitalise on the notable vacancies in the squad, to make his mark with England's selection committee looking on.