Cricket: England keeper Ben Foakes out of Black Caps series after slipping in socks

England wicketkeeper Ben Foakes has also been ruled out of the test series against New Zealand after tearing his hamstring by slipping on a sock while in the dressing room during a county match for Surrey.

James Bracey has been promoted to the squad in place of Foakes and is in line for a test debut.

The 24-year-old Bracey could be asked to bat at No. 7 even though he was originally selected as cover for the top order, a role which now falls to Haseeb Hameed.

Sam Billings has been drafted in as wicketkeeping cover, having returned to domestic action after playing in the IPL.

England are already with paceman Jofra Archer who had surgery on a long-standing right elbow injury is unlikely to play for the national team before July.

The paceman had the operation on Friday and his recovery will be reviewed by his consultant in four weeks, at which point Archer will receive further guidance about when he can start bowling again, the England and Wales Cricket Board said.

That timeframe means Archer is sure to miss the two-match test series against New Zealand starting June 2, which was already confirmed, and the three-match Twenty20 series against Sri Lanka starting June 23.

A three-match one-day international against Sri Lanka starts June 29 and another three-match ODI series, against Pakistan, begins July 8. England's most high-profile series of its international summer comprises five tests against India starting Aug. 4.

Archer had to pull out of the Indian Premier League because of the elbow injury and then felt pain in the same area bowling for Sussex in an English County Championship match last week.

- AP