London, May 2 (UNI) England look set to begin a defining year with one of their most inexperienced pace attacks in the past two decades when the squad for the Test against Zimbabwe is named on Friday.

The England hierarchy have identified the pace department as key to their success in marquee series against India and Australia, but a number of seamers will be unavailable for the one-off Test against the Zimbabweans.

England's two most experienced pacemen, Mark Wood and Chris Woakes, are out injured, while there will be limited expectations for captain Ben Stokes' workload following hamstring surgery.

The attack will be led by Gus Atkinson, who had not made his Test debut this time last year and has 11 caps. He is likely to be joined in the squad by Matthew Potts (10 caps), Josh Tongue (two) and uncapped Essex man Sam Cook.

A combination in the XI of Atkinson, Tongue and Cook would have 13 caps between them. Not since Zimbabwe's last Test in this country 22 years ago has England's pace attack looked so callow at home, when Steve Harmison, James Anderson and Richard Johnson had a combined seven caps.

Indeed, England have played only one home Test without any of Woakes, Anderson or Stuart Broad in the past 18 years, the BBC reported.

Although Zimbabwe are improving – they have just earned a creditable 1-1 series draw in Bangladesh – England will be overwhelming favourites to win the four-day Test when it begins

on May 22.

Following that, the five-match series at home to India and the Ashes away in Australia this winter will shape the leadership legacies of Stokes, coach Brendon McCullum and director of cricket Rob Key.

Woakes has not played yet this season because of an ankle problem, while Wood is out until July following knee surgery.

Brydon Carse remains sidelined with a foot problem and Olly Stone will not play before the back end of the summer after his own knee operation. Ollie Robinson, who has won 20 Test caps, has not played for England in more than a year and lost his central contract in October.

All-rounder Stokes, with 210 Test wickets, has more scalps than any other active England bowler, though his bowling is likely to be restricted. An injury sustained in the third Test against New Zealand in December was the second time in five months the talismanic captain had hurt his left hamstring.

Stokes will look to build his bowling in the run-up to the India series, when England will hope to have Woakes and Carse available. Jofra Archer could play his first red-ball game in four years for England Lions against India A in June. Speaking on Wednesday, Wood did not rule out a return for the conclusion of the India series.

For now, Atkinson will lead the attack following his stunning debut year in Test cricket while Potts played in England's last Test in New Zealand.

Tongue has not played for England for two years because of injuries but has enjoyed a superb start

to the season with Nottinghamshire.

Cook, 27, has been the outstanding bowler in domestic cricket for some time, grabbing 318 first-class wickets at an average under 20.

He is not blessed with high pace and has had to wait for his chance, yet an indication an England call-up was on the horizon came when it was requested he be rested from Essex's Championship match against Worcestershire last month.

If England feel they want further pace cover in the squad, it could come from 20-year-old left-armer Josh Hull, who made his Test debut last summer, or Hampshire's exciting prospect Sonny Baker. Baker has played only three first-class matches but was given an England development contract in February.

Other areas of selection look more straightforward. Jamie Smith will return behind the stumps after missing the tour of New Zealand on paternity leave, while there is no suggestion Shoaib Bashir's place as the number one spinner is under threat.

Any decisions over the top five will be delayed by Jacob Bethell's stint at the Indian Premier League. If batting cover is required, Jordan Cox has recovered from the broken thumb that prevented his debut in New Zealand and Durham opener Ben McKinney is highly rated.

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