Bairstow set to play first Test | Stead: McCullum will have instant impact

Jonny Bairstow is set to start England's first Test of the summer against New Zealand at Lord's on Thursday, seeing off competition from young Harry Brook who was hoping to make his debut.

Sky Sports News reporter James Cole reported on Monday morning that everyone in England's 13-man squad was "fit and practising", with the batting lineup "settled" - Bairstow slotting in at number five ahead of his fellow Yorkshireman Brook.

There is one final place still to be decided, with Craig Overton and potential debutant, Durham's Matt Potts, competing for the final bowling spot alongside James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Ben Stokes and Jack Leach.

Stokes will lead England out for the first time as the permanent Test captain on Thursday, with new head coach Brendon McCullum also overseeing his first game in charge against his home nation.

"Of course it is [exciting]," Bairstow told Sky Sports.

"He [McCullum] is someone I have always wanted to work with. Playing against him and growing up watching him, he was someone I was very intrigued by and I looked up to in many ways - the way he went about his cricket.

"I'm really excited about the prospect of working with him for hopefully a long period of time."

Bairstow added: "We know what Stokesy brings as well, his leadership qualities that he has had on the field for a long, long time.

"There is a lot of positivity around the group."

Bairstow, who was part of England's World Cup-winning side in 2019, did also warn against expectations being too high too soon, drawing upon the example of the white-ball side as they turned around their fortunes following a group-stage exit at the 2015 World Cup.

England have won just one and lost 11 of their last 17 Tests, a run which included a 4-0