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Williamson returns, NZ name strong squad for England Tests

New Zealand will be hoping for a repeat of their UK success last summer in a three-match series against England starting next month

New Zealand captain Kane Williamson will return to Test action in England next month having recovered from an elbow injury.

A quartet of uncapped players also feature in a 20-strong touring squad.

Williamson has not featured for the Kiwis since November and missed the drawn home series against Bangladesh and South Africa as a consequence.

But he is now playing in the Indian Premier League and will lead the world Test champions against Ben Stokes' England for a three-match series that starts at Lord's on June 2. The series will be broadcast live in Australia on Foxtel and Kayo Sports.

New Zealand will be without the retired duo of Ross Taylor and BJ Watling but have the other 13 players who beat India at the Ageas Bowl in the final of last year's World Test Championship.

Shortly before that momentous victory, New Zealand claimed their first Test success in England in 22 years after prevailing 1-0 in a two-match series 11 months ago.

Their pace attack will be led by the experienced Trent Boult, Tim Southee and Neil Wagner as well as Kyle Jamieson and Matt Henry, while the Kiwis will rely big runs from Williamson, Tom Latham and Devon Conway.

Seamers Jacob Duffy and Blair Tickner, allrounder Michael Bracewell and wicketkeeper Cam Fletcher have been included as part of an enlarged squad.

This will be whittled down to 15 players before the series, with the squad's IPL contingent – Williamson, Boult, Southee, Conway and Daryl Mitchell – set to arrive late and miss their two pre-series tour matches.

"The red-ball tour of England first up is clearly high on our priority list and we're looking forward to hitting the ground running over there in a couple of weeks' time," New Zealand head coach Gary Stead said.

"Touring England is always a special occasion with the people, the grounds and the history all making for a wonderful experience.

"The English are always tough in their own conditions and have many talented players they can call on."

"There's a reason we've only ever won a couple of Test series over there and we know we'll have to be at our very best to do it again," Stead added.

New Zealand's squad: K Williamson (captain), T Blundell (wicketkeeper), T Boult, M Bracewell, D Conway, C de Grandhomme, J Duffy, C Fletcher, M Henry, K Jamieson, T Latham, D Mitchell, H Nicholls, A Patel, R Ravindra, H Rutherford, T Southee, B Tickner, N Wagner, W Young

New Zealand's Test tour of England will be broadcast live in Australia on Foxtel and Kayo Sports