Williamson, Jamieson back for Black Caps' UK Test tour

Star batter Kane Williamson and fast bowler Kyle Jamieson have been included in a strong New Zealand Test squad for ‌their tour of Ireland and England in May and June.

Williamson, New Zealand's most prolific Test batter, has not represented his country ‌since last December's series against West Indies, while Jamieson last bowled in red-ball internationals more than two years ago.

New Zealand squad: Tom Latham (c), Tom Blundell (wk), Kristian Clarke, Devon Conway, Zak Foulkes, Dean Foxcroft, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Daryl Mitchell, ​Henry Nicholls, Will O'Rourke, Glenn ⁠Phillips, Michael Rae, Rachin Ravindra, Ben Sears, Nathan Smith, Blair Tickner, Kane Williamson, Will ​Young

Jamieson suffered a back stress fracture in February 2024, and the tall quick will be keen to add to his 80 wickets from 19 Tests when the Black Caps play Ireland in a four-day Test and the three-match series against England.

The right-armer, who was player of the match in the inaugural World Test Championship final in 2021, has played 19 T20Is and 10 ODIs since his comeback to the national side in March 2025.

The 31-year-old ‌joins Will O'Rourke, Matt ‌Henry, Ben Sears, ⁠Zak Foulkes and Blair Tickner as seam options, with Jacob Duffy skipping the ​tour to be with his wife as they await the birth of their first child.

"It's a great privilege to start this next period of sustained red-ball cricket with all our pace bowlers ready to go," coach Rob Walter said in a statement on Wednesday.

"Kyle's been on a journey of getting his body ready for Test cricket. He's really fit and strong at the moment and will bring a unique edge to ⁠our bowling line-up.

"Will (O'Rourke) brings a quality set of skills and physical ‌attributes which ​make him a hugely exciting addition to any Test team. Ben (Sears) brings height and good pace, and I love his ​aggression and wholehearted ‌approach to his bowling."

Allrounder Michael Bracewell has decided to step back from Test cricket for family reasons and ​will not tour, which might offer an opportunity for the uncapped Dean Foxcroft.

Foxcroft offers strong batting as well as some off-spin to a squad without New Zealand's white-ball captain Mitchell Santner, who has been sidelined by a ​shoulder ​injury. Santner could join the tour for the ​second and third England Tests, depending on how his recovery progress.

Michael Rae and the uncapped Kristian ‌Clarke have been included as further seam options in the 19-strong squad but only for the Ireland test in Belfast from May 27. Sears will continue to England as a travelling reserve.

New Zealand, who are second in the 2025-27 World Test Championship standings, will then play England at Lord's from June 4 before further Tests at The Oval and Trent ​Bridge.

The tour kicks off a busy nine-month Test schedule for Tom Latham's side, who will then host India in a two-Test series to begin the coming southern summer, which will be followed by four away matches against Australia in December and January.

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