England's Cox out of New Zealand series with broken thumb

Wicketkeeper Jordan Cox has been ruled retired of England's bid successful New Zealand with a breached thumb.

Cox, uncapped successful Tests, injured his close thumb successful the nets earlier the 2nd and last time of England's lone warm-up against a New Zealand Prime Minister's XI successful Queenstown.

The 24-year-old had been owed to marque his Test debut successful Christchurch connected Thursday, covering for regular keeper Jamie Smith, who is missing the three-match bid connected paternity leave.

In Cox's absence, Ollie Pope is acceptable to deputise down the stumps, leaving 21-year-old Jacob Bethell successful enactment for his archetypal Test cap.

Left-hander Bethell was a astonishment inclusion successful the squad, having ne'er made a period successful elder nonrecreational cricket.

But helium has impressed since making his white-ball debut for England successful September. Bethell and leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed are not presently successful Queenstown, alternatively going consecutive to Christchurch aft being portion of the squad for the limited-overs bid successful the West Indies.

Pope has kept wicket for England connected 3 erstwhile occasions, erstwhile successful New Zealand successful 2019 and for 2 Tests successful Pakistan successful 2022.

Vice-captain Pope took the gloves connected the 2nd time of the warm-up crippled connected Sunday, but with lone 14 players successful Queenstown and immoderate opting for other clip successful the nets, England had to inquire James Anderson to instrumentality portion arsenic a fielder.

Anderson, 42, has been moving arsenic England's bowling advisor since retiring from Test cricket successful July and is entered successful the Indian Premier League auction, opening connected Sunday.

The wounded is cruel connected Cox, who was facing throw-downs from England adjunct manager Jeetan Patel.

Cox has been the reserve keeper and batter successful the Test squad since the summertime and had already been told helium would marque his debut successful spot of Smith.

England volition telephone up a replacement, yet Cox's wounded is the latest occurrence successful a perpetually changing representation down the stumps. Smith, 24, was made archetypal prime astatine the opening of the location summertime aft Jonny Bairstow and Ben Foakes were dropped.

A instrumentality for either seems unlikely. Phil Salt has kept for England successful white-ball cricket, portion Durham's Ollie Robinson has impressed successful the County Championship.

Somerset 20-year-old James Rew is an breathtaking imaginable and presently with the England Lions successful South Africa, alongside different 20-year-old successful Matty Hurst of Lancashire.