England pick uncapped trio for first Sri Lanka Test

London: England named a trio of uncapped players on Thursday in their squad for the first Test against Sri Lanka at Lord's later this month.

Selecting his first Test squad since returning to the job, coach Peter Moores picked 24-year-old batsman Sam Robson and all-rounders Chris Jordan and Moeen Ali for the June 12 match.

Bowler Liam Plunkett, who last played Test cricket seven years ago against West Indies, has also been included in the 12-man squad alongside Chris Woakes.

Jos Buttler did not make the cut as Matt Prior was selected as wicketkeeper after recovering from an Achilles injury.

"We believe that this group of emerging talent will be very well complimented by the established core of experienced players that have been selected," said national selector James Whitaker. "We are expecting a tough series against Sri Lanka."

The 25-year-old Jordan, who took 12 wickets during England's 3-2 series defeat by Sri Lanka, has played 13 ODIs and seven T20s since making his England debut last September. The 26-year-old Ali made his ODI and T20 debuts earlier this year against West Indies.

Captain Alastair Cook's squad for England's opening Test of the summer also includes James Anderson and Stuart Broad.

England squad: Alastair Cook (captain), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Gary Ballance, Ian Bell, Stuart Broad, Chris Jordan, Liam Plunkett, Matt Prior, Sam Robson, Joe Root, Chris Woakes.

White House to Iran: No visa for UN envoy pick

WASHINGTON: The United States, in a rare diplomatic rebuke, will not grant a visa to Tehran's pick for envoy to the United Nations, the Obama administration said Friday.

The move could complicate efforts to thaw the decades-long diplomatic freeze between the US and Iran, as the two countries negotiate a deal to curb Tehran's disputed nuclear program.

President Barack Obama's administration had previously said only that it opposed the nomination of Hamid Aboutalebi, who was a member of the group responsible for the 1979 takeover of the US Embassy in Tehran as a revolution erupted in Iran. US officials had hoped the issue could be resolved by Tehran simply withdrawing the nomination.

That did not happen, so the US made the unusual, if not unprecedented, move to not grant a visa to a U.N. ambassadorial nominee.

"We've communicated with the Iranians at a number of levels and made clear our position on this - and that includes our position that the selection was not viable," White House spokesman Jay Carney said. "Our position is that we will not be issuing him a visa."

Aboutalebi is alleged to have participated in a Muslim student group that held 52 Americans hostage for 444 days during the takeover. His nomination has outraged members of Congress, who passed a bill barring entry to the US to an individual found to be engaged in espionage, terrorism or a threat to national security.

Carney would not say whether Obama would sign the bill but said the president shares its sentiments.

United Nations officials had no immediate comment on the US decision.