England vs Zimbabwe: Hosts set to select inexperienced pace attack

England look set to begin a defining year with one of their most inexperienced pace attacks in the past two decades when the squad for the Test against Zimbabwe is named on Friday.

The England hierarchy have identified the pace department as key to their success in marquee series against India and Australia, but a number of seamers will be unavailable for the one-off Test against the Zimbabweans.

England's two most experienced pacemen, Mark Wood and Chris Woakes, are out injured, while there will be limited expectations for captain Ben Stokes' workload following hamstring surgery.

The attack will be led by Gus Atkinson, who had not made his Test debut this time last year and has 11 caps. He is likely to be joined in the squad by Matthew Potts (10 caps), Josh Tongue (two) and uncapped Essex man Sam Cook.

A combination in the XI of Atkinson, Tongue and Cook would have 13 caps between them. Not since Zimbabwe's last Test in this country 22 years ago has England's pace attack looked so callow at home, when Steve Harmison, James Anderson and Richard Johnson had a combined seven caps.

Indeed, England have played only one home Test without any of Woakes, Anderson or Stuart Broad in the past 18 years.

Although Zimbabwe are improving – they have just earned a creditable 1-1 series draw in Bangladesh – England will be overwhelming favourites to win the four-day Test when it begins on 22 May.

Following that, the five-match series at home to India and the Ashes away in Australia this winter will shape the leadership legacies of Stokes, coach Brendon McCullum and director of cricket Rob Key.

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