England's pace bowling stocks have taken another worrying hit as Gus Atkinson was ruled out of Surrey's County Championship clash with Nottinghamshire after suffering a concussion. The 28-year-old was struck on the head twice by fellow England international Josh Tongue while batting at Trent Bridge, with the second blow proving particularly severe.

Atkinson initially tried to bat on after both incidents but eventually called for treatment and retired on 27, replaced in the match by Reece Topley. This latest setback comes at a critical time, with England expected to name their squad for the first Test against New Zealand at Lord's, starting June 4, in the coming days.

The pace-bowling department is looking increasingly depleted. Atkinson and Tongue were seen as the most likely specialist seamers for the squad, but the options are narrowing fast. Jofra Archer may not be ready for Test cricket after his IPL stint, Brydon Carse has a broken wrist, Mark Wood is recovering from a knee injury with no return date set, and Chris Woakes retired from international cricket last year.

England's batting lineup also faces concerns, with Ollie Pope dropping to number 10 in Surrey's innings due to a hand injury. The team is also set to confirm Australian Marcus North as their new national selector.

With the depth chart thinning, England may look to recall Ollie Robinson from international exile or give Essex's Sam Cook a second cap. Other potential options include Hampshire's Sonny Baker, who has started the season in strong form, and Lancashire's highly rated Mitchell Stanley. Captain Ben Stokes has just played his first game of the season for Durham, opening the batting as he works his way back to full fitness.