England Test captain Ben Stokes hailed his "exciting" bowling options ahead of the first Test of the tour of New Zealand.

Experienced duo James Anderson and Stuart Broad have been named along with Ollie Robinson for the Bay Oval Test, with Jack Leach providing the option of spin.

After struggling to find enough seam bowlers to field last year when several were out injured, including Jofra Archer, Robinson, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood and Sam Curran among others, Stokes now has a number to choose from.

And the 31-year-old said at a pre-Test press conference that it bodes well ahead of a busy summer that includes a home Ashes series.

"We've got a great crop of fast bowlers coming through England at the moment and it's exciting," he said. "It's a great place to be in now, considering the first game we had last summer when we probably had only three or four seamers to pick from. I'd rather be in a position where I'm scratching my head about who to pick.

"The one thing I did say to the medical team is just give me eight fast bowlers to choose from. We always want variety in our bowling line-up. We've got Jimmy and Broady with experience and you want some kind of X-factor in there.

"I feel heading into this summer we're in a position where we feel we've got that."

Stone and Matthew Potts were recalled as part of the touring squad, though both missed out on being named in the side for the first Test.

"With Stoney, I think it's great to have him back around the group after a potentially career-ending injury [stress fractures in his back]," Stokes added. "To see him back, bowling quick and bowling aggressively, which is what we want him to do, is great signs for us.

"Pottsy is just going from strength to strength for someone who's not played that much cricket really. I think he proved last summer what a great find he was."

Alick Athanaze and Akeem Jordan are the only two newcomers in a 15-member squad named on Tuesday by the Cricket West Indies (CWI) Men’s Selection Panel for the upcoming two-Test Series against South Africa.

Athanaze, the left-handed batter, is the captain of Windward Islands Volcanoes while Jordan, the right-arm seam bowler, plays for Barbados Pride.

Both have demonstrated good form in the first two rounds of the current four-day West Indies Championship.

Athanaze had scores of 41 and 51 against Trinidad & Tobago Red Force in Round 1 and followed up with a career-best 141 against Guyana Harpy Eagles in Round 2. He is a product of the West Indies Under 19s Rising Stars where he was one of the stand-out players at the 2018 ICC Men’s U19 Cricket World Cup.

Jordan had match figures of 5-86 against Guyana and followed up with 7-113 against Jamaica Scorpions to be one of the leading wicket-takers in the West Indies Championship after two rounds of matches.

Athanaze and Jordan replace left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican and batter Nkrumah Bonner who are part of the squad for the just-concluded series in Zimbabwe.

Jayden Seales is unavailable for selection following a knee injury and subsequent surgery, while Anderson Philiip has returned to training but is not yet match-fit.

Lead Selector, The Most Hon. Dr Desmond Haynes said: “Athanaze is one of the young players who we have invested in, and he played well in the ‘A Team’ and CWI President’s XI. He showed great promise in the CG United Super50 last year and then got his first hundred in the West Indies Championship last week. We believe he should be given an opportunity at this level. He has also showed leadership, as captain of the Windwards at the start of this season.”

Haynes added: “Jordan has been very impressive from last year, he has continued to bowl well, and has been excellent in the first two matches so far this year. He is very skilful, can bowl the new ball, and looks to put the ball in the right areas. He is also a sharp fielder and good catcher close to the wicket. This will be a challenging tour. There is no easy away tour in Test cricket. South Africa have a good team, but I am sure we will be up for the task and will do well in these two Test matches.”

The upcoming Series is the final Test fixture for both teams in the ICC World Test Championship. West Indies are currently in sixth place and have the opportunity, with a Series win to move above South Africa, currently in fourth place, in the final table.

West Indies are due to arrive in South Africa on 17 February. They will face South Africa in two Test matches at SuperSport Park in Centurion (28 February to 4 March) and the Wanderers in Johannesburg (8 to 12 March). Following the Tests, West Indies will then play a white ball series. The squads for these will named at a later date.

FULL SQUAD

Kraigg Brathwaite (Captain)

Jermaine Blackwood (Vice Captain)

Alick Athanaze

Tagenarine Chanderpaul

Roston Chase

Joshua Da Silva

Shannon Gabriel

Jason Holder

Akeem Jordan

Alzarri Joseph

Kyle Mayers

Gudakesh Motie

Raymon Reifer

Kemar Roach

Devon Thomas

Stuart Broad will return when England attempt to keep riding on the crest of a wave at the start of the Test series against New Zealand.

Broad missed a historic 3-0 whitewash of Pakistan to stay at home for the birth of his first child, but Ben Stokes has confirmed the paceman will be back in the team for a first day-night Test that starts at Bay Oval on Thursday.

Olly Stone will miss out as Broad, Anderson and Ollie Robinson have got the nod along with spinner Jack Leach for the pink-ball contest in Mount Maunganui.

Cyclone Gabrielle has affected the preparation for two sides who met in a Test series last year that ended with England celebrating a 3-0 clean sweep. That came at the start of a new era under captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum.

England have won nine of their 10 Tests since Stokes and McCullum took charge, while New Zealand have failed to win any of their past five series and also have a recently appointed skipper in Tim Southee.

The Black Caps have not lost a home series in the longest format for almost six years, though, and they will be out for revenge over former New Zealand captain McCullum and Christchurch-born Stokes.

Stokes is determined to carry on getting the best out of his team-mates, with an Ashes series at home to Australia on the horizon.

The all-rounder said: "I'm at a stage now where I would much prefer to leave a mark on other people's careers than look to make mine more established.

"I've played a lot of cricket and done some great things with some great teams over the years. Being captain, I've got a real desire to make the best out of the team I've got here and players who will come in in the future.

"That's one of my goals as England captain: to hopefully let some of these guys in the dressing room here just have an amazing career. If I can influence that in any way shape or form, then I'll be happy."

Jamieson blow for Black Caps

New Zealand will have to do without Kyle Jamieson for the two-match series after the paceman suffered a suspected stress fracture of his back.

Left-arm seamer Matt Henry will also be absent for the first Test as he awaits the birth of his first child.

Uncapped duo Jacob Duffy and Scott Kuggeleijn have been called into the squad following the loss of Jamieson and Henry.

Tourists out to end 15-year wait for series win

England have been beaten 1-0 in their past two Test series in New Zealand.

You have to go back to 2008 for the last time they won an away series against the Black Caps in the longest format, when they came from behind to take a 2-1 victory.

Ryan Sidebottom took 7-47 in the first innings of the decider in Napier to set up that win, with McCullum among his victims.

India batter Shreyas Iyer has been passed fit for the second Test against Australia after recovering from a back injury.

Iyer has not played for a month, but is back in contention after completing his rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy.

The number one T20 International batter in the world will be hoping to force his way back into the middle order, although he may have to be patient after India hammered the tourists by an innings and 132 runs in Nagpur.

Iyer averages an impressive 56.72 from his seven matches in the longest format.

One player who will not feature in a second Test that starts at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Friday is paceman Jaydev Unadkat, who was released from the squad to play for Saurashtra against Bengal in the Ranji Trophy final.

A resounding victory for India over Pat Cummins side put them 1-0 up in the battle for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and also enhanced their chance of playing in the World Test Championship final at The Oval in June.

Australia are also on course to secure their place in the showdown in London, leading the race to qualify with India second.

Gudakesh Motie ended with match figures of 13-99, the best ever for a West Indies spinner in Tests, as the West Indies defeated Zimbabwe by an innings and four runs on day three of the second Test at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo to complete a 1-0 series win.

Day three started with the West Indies 290-8 off 90.4 overs with Motie (11) and Holder (3) the not out batsmen.

The pair were able to add only two runs as the tourists were bowled out for 292 in 92.3 overs, leaving Zimbabwe needing 177 runs to make the West Indians have to bat again.

Victor Nyauchi took a career-best 5-56 off 17.3 overs while Brandon Mavuta took 3-73 from 24 overs for Zimbabwe.

In their second innings, only captain Craig Ervine and opener Innocent Kaia were able to provide any resistance as Motie ripped through the Zimbabwean batting line-up, just as he did in the first innings.

Ervine made 72 off 105 balls including four fours while Kaia had earlier made a 57-ball 43 including seven boundaries.

Motie, who was later named man of the match and man of the series, bowled 17.3 overs for his 6-62. He picked up 19 wickets in the series.

The regional side will now turn their attention to two Tests against South Africa from February 28-March 4 and March 8-12. 

Scores: Zimbabwe 115 off 40.5 overs (Innocent Kaia 38, Gudakesh Motie 7-37, Jason Holder 2-18) and 173 off 47.3 overs (Craig Ervine 72, Innocent Kaia 43, Gudakesh Motie 6-62)

West Indies 292 off 92.3 overs (Roston Chase 70, Raymon Reifer 53, Joshua Da Silva 44, Victor Nyauchi 5-56, Brandon Mavuta 3-73)

Ben Stokes is prioritising the impact he can have on England's younger players through his captaincy as his in-form side prepare for the first Test against New Zealand.

England have won nine of their first 10 Tests under captain Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum, the only blot on the duo's record being a defeat to South Africa, which was swiftly avenged in a 2-1 series success.

As Christchurch-born Stokes returns to the country of his birth in a bid to guide England to their first Test series win in New Zealand since 2008, his focus is on aiding his team-mates' development.

"I'm at a stage now where I would much prefer to leave a mark on other people's careers than look to make mine more established," he told The Guardian.

"I've played a lot of cricket and done some great things with some great teams over the years.

"I think that being captain now, I've got a real desire to make the best out of the team that I've got here and players who will come in in the future.

"That's one of my goals as England captain, to hopefully let some of these guys in the dressing room here just have an amazing career. If I can influence that in any way shape or form, then I'll be happy."

England's aggressive approach has won them plenty of admirers recently, with their last Test series beginning with a record-breaking return of 506 runs on day one of their opener in Pakistan.

While Stokes insists England do not approach matches looking to trouble the record books, he says the freedom given to the team's batsmen has opened new avenues for success. 

"We don't sit down before a series and go 'these records need to be broken'. Attitude and approach is the best way to describe it, and making it very simple, knowing we are going to have to absorb pressure but jumping at the opportunity when we feel it's the right time," Stokes said.

"The batting group have got a huge understanding of what they can do now because we've let them be free, I guess. 

"It's almost like they get themselves in first and second gear, and then all of a sudden they'll go up to fifth because they see an opportunity to pounce and really put teams under pressure.

"Things are going pretty smoothly at the moment but if it doesn't go well, we won't shy away from it. We showed that against South Africa when we got beat. 

"When you fail, it's an opportunity to bounce back and show you're not worried or scared to go out there and try the same thing."

The first of England's two Tests in New Zealand gets under way at Mount Maunganui on Thursday, before they head to Wellington for the second Test a week later.

Shirley Clarke has been relieved of his duties as head coach of the Windward Islands Volcanoes franchise with immediate effect. Clarke will be replaced on an interim basis by South African Russel Sising.

Chairman of the Windward Islands Cricket Board (WICB) Dr Kishore Shallow confirmed Clarke’s dismissal to Sportsmax.TV on Monday citing the team’s lack of performance.

“I can confirm that we have separated from Mr Clarke. The board thought that we were not necessarily on the same wavelength,” Dr Shallow said.

The decision was not a knee-jerk reaction but stemmed concerns the board had since last year during the Regional Super 50 tournament in which the Windward Island Volcanoes won only two matches, both against the Combined College and Campuses team.

Dr Shallow said a comprehensive review was done after the tournament and consequently met with Clarke on several occasions to discuss their concerns.

So far in the West Indies Championship, the Volcanoes have not won any of their two games despite playing well but simply, not well enough.

Dr Shallow, who is also the Cricket West Indies vice president, pointed out that the Volcanoes has not won any of their last seven first-class matches, hence the decision was made to move in another direction.

“Given the investments that were made, we were not getting the results,” he said.

Dr Shallow, who described Clarke as a good individual, said the parting was amicable and that he wished Clarke the best going forward.

All-rounder Roston Chase scored his 11^th half-century in Tests as the West Indies ended day two of the second test against Zimbabwe with a 175-run first innings lead in Bulawayo.

Only 49.4 overs were possible on day two as rain halted proceedings on multiple occasions.

The tourists began the day 133-4 off 41 overs with Kyle Mayers on eight and Chase on five.

The pair brought the score to 184 in the 54^th over before Mayers was dismissed by Brandon Mavuta for 30, bringing Joshua Da Silva to the middle to join Chase.

Chase and Da Silva brought the West Indies total past 200 in the 61^st over, with Chase bringing up his fifty off 83 balls in the process. This was Chase’s first Test fifty since a 51 against England in Manchester in July 2020.

At lunch, the West Indies were 236-5 after 71 overs with Chase on 56 and Da Silva on 25.

Soon after the Windies 250 was brought up in the 78^th over, Chase fell to pacer Victor Nyauchi for a 132-ball 70 to leave the tourists 269-6 after 84.5 overs.

Just one run later, Da Silva also fell to Nyauchi. He faced 111 balls for his 44.

It was 270-7 when Alzarri Joseph joined Jason Holder at the crease and, two balls later, it was 274-8 as Joseph, after striking a boundary off his first ball, became Nyauchi’s third victim of the day, going for four.

At stumps, the West Indies were 290-8 off 90.4 overs with Jason Holder on three and Gudakesh Motie on 11.

Scores: Zimbabwe 115 off 40.5 overs (Innocent Kaia 38, Gudakesh Motie 7-37, Jason Holder 2-18)

West Indies 290-8 off 90.4 overs (Roston Chase 70, Raymon Reifer 53, Joshua Da Silva 44, Victor Nyauchi 3-56, Brandon Mavuta 3-73)

West Indies Captain Hayley Matthews and former West Indies All-rounder Deandra Dottin were the only two West Indian players sold at the inaugural Women’s Premier League (WPL) player auction at the JIO Convention Centre in Mumbai on Monday.

The WPL is the Women’s version of the Indian Premier League (IPL) and will run between March 4 and March 26.

The first edition will feature five teams: Delhi Capitals, Gujarat Titans, Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore and UP Warriorz.

Matthews, currently representing the regional side at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in South Africa where she made 44 in their opener against England, was sold to the Mumbai Indians for US$49,000.

Dottin, who retired from international cricket in 2022 after representing the West Indies 143 ODIs and 127 T20Is since her international debut in 2008, went to the Gujarat Giants for US$73,000.

Opener Smriti Mandhana was the most expensive Indian player, going to the Royal Challengers Bangalore for US$415,000.

England’s Nat Sciver-Brunt and Australia’s Ash Gardner both went for US$390,000 to the Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Giants, respectively, to share the tag of most expensive overseas player.

Leg-spinner Afy Fletcher and pacer Shamilia Connell were the West Indians among the list of unsold players.J

New Zealand are struggling to piece their team together ahead of the first Test against England, with Cyclone Gabrielle impacting several players' travel plans.

Five players from New Zealand's 14-man squad, as well as three support staff, are yet to arrive at Mount Maunganui ahead of the start of the first Test on Thursday.

Cyclone Gabrielle's impact on New Zealand's North Island has led some areas to declare a state of emergency, with over 46,000 homes losing power and hundreds of flights being cancelled.

The Black Caps trained indoors at Bay Oval on Monday in a bid to avoid the worst of the weather conditions, with strong winds and heavy rain expected to continue in the build-up to the opener.

Henry Nicholls, Blair Tickner and Will Young are among those yet to meet up with their team-mates ahead of the two-match series, leaving head coach Gary Stead's plans in flux.

"We've got a number of players that are still arriving here at the moment, the cyclone that's happening at the top of the North Island has had a wee bit of an impact on travel for some people," Stead said.

"It's disappointing the weather is the way it is, but there's a lot of people up at the top of the North Island who are a lot worse off than us.

"Originally we were planning to have an evening training session but we managed to get in a touch earlier. 

"We were just worried that the winds might get up to such a point that we wouldn't be able to train later on."

England arrived in New Zealand having won nine of their 10 Tests under head coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes, and Stead has admiration for their aggressive style.

"I think it's great what Brendon and Ben have done with this English team," he said. "They've managed to take a team that was really struggling and turn it into something now that's probably the talking point of world cricket.

"But I think what each team has to do is work out is what becomes really unique to them and natural for the way that they play."

James Anderson hailed the depth of bowling talent available to England ahead of the first Test in New Zealand, saying the presence of Matthew Potts and Olly Stone is keeping him on his toes.

England will attempt to continue their outstanding form under head coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes across a two-match series in New Zealand this month, having won nine of their last 10 Tests.

England bolstered their seam attack by recalling Potts, Stone and Stuart Broad for the trip to McCullum's homeland, with Mark Wood and Rehan Ahmed rested after starring in last year's 3-0 whitewash of Pakistan.

With Jofra Archer also impressing on his long-awaited ODI return after an injury-ravaged few years, Anderson is in awe at the options available to England.

"To be able to bring these guys [Potts and Stone] back into the squad after having Mark Wood in Pakistan, and with Jofra getting back fit, it feels like we're building up a real good bank of fast bowlers that will be able to win games in any conditions anywhere in the world," Anderson told The Guardian.

"I think whether they're young or old, guys always keep you on your toes. Broady's keeping me on my toes, we're pushing each other in the nets all the time.

"At the minute, Ollie Robinson is probably one of the best bowlers in the world, for me. 

"He just doesn't miss, can swing it both ways, nips it, gets bounce – he's comfortably the one bowler that the guys don't want to face in the nets here. Everyone keeps you on your toes and it keeps those standards really high."

England have not won a Test series in New Zealand since 2007-08, when a 26-year-old Anderson tore through the hosts' top five in Wellington to kick-start their comeback in a 2-1 triumph.

Anderson was invited to play for Auckland against Wellington in the State Championship ahead of that impressive outing in the second Test, a decision criticised by several members of the New Zealand team – including McCullum – for enabling the England man to find form. 

"It was amazing for me. It turned out to be a very good decision. I bowled a lot of overs. I didn't set the world alight but it got me into a good rhythm to play the next Test," Anderson recalled.

"Baz brought that up the other day. He was fuming at the time! Apparently the whole New Zealand team were fuming with Auckland. It was huge for both of us.

"And not just the way we played, but with [Matthew] Hoggard and [Steve] Harmison having been such a massive part of England's success – the 2005 Ashes and Harmy being number one in the world at one point. 

"Them being the senior bowlers and us taking their places gave us so much confidence to go on and try and emulate them. We never looked back."

The Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed the third Test in Dharamsala of the four-game India-Australia series has been relocated to Indore due to the ground being fit.

A potential switch had previously been mooted, with reports that the outfield at Dharamsala's Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium was not ready after being re-laid.

The BCCI confirmed the move on Monday for the third Test due to commence on March 1.

"Owing to harsh winter conditions in the region, the outfield lacks sufficient grass density and will need some time to develop fully," the BCCI statement said.

The schedule remains the same, with the Test starting on March 1, but to be played at Holkar Stadium in Indore in Madhya Pradesh, roughly 600 kilometres north-east of Mumbai.

India lead the series 1-0 after a comprehensive first Test triumph in Nagpur, winning by an innings and 132 runs inside three days.

Player of the match Carlos Brathwaite took three wickets and effected a runout while Shimron Hetmyer scored a quick-fire unbeaten 25 to help lead Gulf Giants to a seven-wicket victory over Desert Vipers and the 2023 ILT20 final in Dubai on Sunday.

The heroic Barbadian, whose four consecutive sixes off Ben Stokes won the 2016 ICC T20 World Cup for the West Indies, took 3-19 and ran out opener Rohan Mustafa for just six to restrict Desert Vipers to 146-8 from their 20 overs.

He removed the dangerous Alex Hales for one, took the catch to dismiss Adam Lyth for 13, dismissed Sam Billings for 31, breaking the 72-run fifth wicket partnership with Wanindu Hasaranga, whose 55 from 27 balls propped up Desert Vipers, before returning to take the wicket of Tom Curran in the 19^th over.

Qias Ahmad supported Brathwaite with the wickets of Hasaranga and Luke Wood for three to finish with figures of 2-29. Chris Jordan caught and bowled the dangerous Colin Munro for just six.

Chasing 147 for victory, Gulf Giants’s Chris Lyn scored an unbeaten 72 from 50 balls and 30 from Gerhard Erasmus before Hetmyer arrived with the final dagger, smashing 25 not out from 13 balls with five fours to propel Gulf Giants to the title with eight balls to spare.

India and Australia face a major change to their series itinerary, with the third Test reportedly set to be moved from Dharamsala owing to pitch concerns.

The penultimate encounter in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy contest is scheduled to take place between March 1 and March 5 at Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium.

But the fixture looks set to be relocated, with Bengaluru or Visakhapatnam potentially in line to stage the game.

The Times of India quoted an unnamed source from the Board of Control for Cricket in India as saying the outfield in Dharamsala was not ready after being relaid.

Australia's last visit for a Test to Dharamsala came in March 2017, when India clinched a 2-1 series victory with an eight-wicket triumph over the tourists.

The hosts are already one up in the current series, after racing to an innings-and-132-run win inside three days in Nagpur.

Pat Cummins' touring side will hope to level matters when the second Test rolls around, with the game set to start in Delhi on Friday.

India, meanwhile, have announced the departure of Jaydev Unadkat from their squad ahead of the second Test, allowing him to play in Thursday's Ranji Trophy final for Saurashtra.

The West Indies hold a slight advantage against Zimbabwe at stumps on Sunday’s first day of the second Test at Bulawayo.