England mull Baker debut amid weather concerns

England have announced a slimmed-down squad of 12 players for Thursday's first Test against New Zealand at Lord's, delaying a decision on whether to reward Hampshire's Sonny Baker with a debut. The approach mirrors the one used at the first Ashes Test last November when both Mark Wood and Shoaib Bashir were initially selected before Wood's extra pace was chosen. capturengo.com

Gus Atkinson could play if conditions at Lord's are less hot. Meanwhile, Bashir has been preferred over Rehan Ahmed as the team's frontline spinner, while Jacob Bethell has recovered from a finger injury and is available to bowl if required.