SOMERSET seamer Craig Overton has retained his place in the England squad for the upcoming tour of New Zealand, though spinner Jack Leach has again missed out.

Overton made his Test debut in the recent Ashes series, removing Australian captain Steve Smith for his maiden scalp, and impressed with bat and ball in the two matches he played before sustaining a cracked rib.

The 23-year-old keeps his place in the squad as a result, and now has until the first Test on March 22 to regain full fitness.

There is disappointment for Overton’s Somerset teammate Jack Leach, however, who has again been overlooked despite England’s well documented spin troubles over the past two winters.

Leach, who has taken more County Championship wickets than anyone else in Division One since the start of the 2016 season, will instead tour the West Indies with the England Lions squad along with Dom Bess.

Elsewhere in the squad, Lancashire batsman Liam Livingstone has received his first Test call-up while Gary Ballance, Jake Ball and Tom Curran have been left out - Ben Stokes is included, as are James Vince and Mark Stoneman despite their Ashes struggles.

England Test squad for tour of New Zealand: Joe Root (c), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Alastair Cook, Mason Crane, Ben Foakes, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Craig Overton, Ben Stokes, Mark Stoneman, James Vince, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood