England drops Bairstow, Foakes and Leach for West Indies test series in changing of the guard

LONDON (AP) — England dropped Jonny Bairstow, Ben Foakes and Jack Leach from its test squad ahead of the series against the West Indies.

In the freshened-up 14-man squad for the first two tests, England called up three uncapped players: wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith and seamers Gus Atkinson and Dillon Pennington. Young spinner Shoaib Bashir has been preferred to Leach in what amounts to a changing of the guard.

James Anderson was selected but the 41-year-old seamer will only play the first test, at Lord's starting July 10, before retiring.

Bairstow is the most high-profile casualty, dropped on exactly 100 caps. Smith has seen off Bairstow and Foakes to claim the wicketkeeper spot.