England's pace-bowling stocks have taken another hit as Gus Atkinson was diagnosed with a concussion during Surrey's County Championship clash against Nottinghamshire. The 28-year-old seamer was struck on the head twice in quick succession by England teammate Josh Tongue while batting at Trent Bridge, raising fresh concerns ahead of the first Test against New Zealand.

Atkinson, who was batting in Surrey's first innings, endured a brutal spell from Tongue. The second blow was particularly severe, forcing him to eventually retire on 27 after initially trying to bat on. Reece Topley has been brought in as his replacement for the match.

The timing couldn't be worse for England, who are expected to name their squad for the Lord's Test starting June 4. With the batting lineup already under scrutiny after Ollie Pope batted at number 10 for Surrey due to a hand injury, the pace department is now looking worryingly thin.

Atkinson and Tongue were considered frontrunners for the seamer spots, but England's fast-bowling cupboard is nearly bare. Jofra Archer's Test return remains uncertain after his IPL stint, Brydon Carse is sidelined with a broken wrist, Mark Wood has no timetable for his knee injury recovery, and Chris Woakes retired from international cricket last year.

The selectors—who are set to confirm Australian Marcus North as the new national selector—have a few options to consider. Ollie Robinson could end his international exile, Essex's Sam Cook might earn a second cap, or Hampshire's Sonny Baker, who has a central contract and strong early-season form, could get the nod. Lancashire's Mitchell Stanley is also highly rated, while Surrey's Matthew Fisher, who was called into the Ashes squad, remains in contention.

With captain Ben Stokes already playing his first game of the season, England will need to piece together a bowling attack that can take 20 wickets. The concussion to Atkinson only adds to the mounting pressure on the team's pace resources.