New skipper Ben Stokes wants England to feel 'free' as Stuart Broad and James Anderson recalled

Ben Stokes said he wanted everyone in the side to "feel free" under his leadership as James Anderson and Stuart Broad were recalled for the first Test against New Zealand at Lord's starting Thursday. Stokes has taken over as skipper from Joe Root, with England on a woeful run of one win in 17 Tests. But the all-rounder told reporters at Lord's on Wednesday: "There's been a lot of talk about a 'reset', which is a word I don't like.

"I just see it as a completely blank canvas. I just want everyone to feel free under my captaincy. "This is our time and we are going to dictate how things go forward.

Everyone is starting fresh." Anderson, 39 and Broad, 35, England's two most successful bowlers of all time, with a combined 1,177 wickets between them, were both controversially left out of the squad for a 1-0 series loss in the West Indies earlier this year. But they return for the first match under England's new leadership duo of Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum, the former New Zealand captain, in an XI named on Wednesday -- a day ahead of schedule. England have also given a debut to fast bowler Matthew Potts, a county colleague of Stokes at Durham.

Potts gets his chance ahead of fellow squad member Craig Overton, after an injury crisis deprived England of several fast bowlers including Mark Wood, Chris Woakes, Ollie Robinson and Jofra Archer. The 23-year-old has been selected on the back of a fine start to the county season, having taken 35 wickets for Durham in his opening six County Championship matches. "He's been outstanding in the games I've played," said Stokes of Potts.