England return to Test action for the first time in 2017 with a new captain at the helm and changes in the playing personnel.
Alastair Cook called time on his captaincy after the 4-0 defeat in India, so it is Joe Root who will lead England in this four-match series against South Africa with Cook back in the ranks looking to add to his already record-breaking runs tally.
South Africa will be seeking revenge after surprisingly losing 2-1 on home soil when these sides last met in 2015/16.
Our guide contains team news, start times, TV channel information, stats and latest news from both camps, as well as betting tips from our Dave Tickner and England legend Sir Ian Botham.
England v South Africa: First Test contents
1. Match details
2. Team news
3. Key stats
4. Quotes
5. Latest news
6. Betting tips
7. Series fixtures & results
England v South Africa: First Test key details
Dates: Thursday July 6 - Monday July 10
Session times: 1100-1300, 1340-1540, 1600-1800 BST
TV Channel: Sky Sports 2
Venue: Lord's, London
Sky Bet odds: England 10/11, Draw 11/4, South Africa 11/4
England v South Africa: First Test team news
Yorkshire captain Gary Ballance has earned a recall to the England squad for the first Test of the summer after amassing over 800 runs at a three-figure average in the first half of the County Championship season.
Ballance had looked set for a lengthy wait for a Test recall after a nightmare tour of Bangladesh last winter, but has forced his way back in to the side by sheer weight of runs.
Stuart Broad has been passed fit after recovering from a torn muscle in his left foot, while Liam Dawson will surprisingly win his second Test cap - and first on home soil - as a second spinner.
Jake Ball misses out through injury, as does Chris Woakes, while Haseeb Hameed - so impressive in India during the winter - is out after a nightmare start to the season with Lancashire; he is yet to reach 50 this summer in the County Championship.
Joe Root looks set to return to number four in the batting order for his first Test as captain following Alastair Cook's resignation.
South Africa's captain Faf du Plessis will miss the first Test having returned home for the birth of his first child.
A Cricket South Africa spokesman said it was a "difficult birth" and confirmed du Plessis would only return to the UK once his wife and the baby are "settled".
Dean Elgar will lead the team in du Plessis' absence , while Vernon Philander is expected to recover from the ankle injury that kept him out of the warm-up match against the England Lions in Worcester.
Chris Morris and Andile Phehlukwayo are possible replacements should Philander come up short.
England first Test XI: Joe Root (Yorkshire, captain), Alastair Cook (Essex), Keaton Jennings (Durham), Gary Ballance (Yorkshire), Ben Stokes (Durham, vc), Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire, wk), Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), Liam Dawson (Hampshire), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Mark Wood (Durham), James Anderson (Lancashire). 12th man: Toby Roland-Jones (Middlesex)
South Africa Test series squad: Faf du Plessis (capt), Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Theunis de Bruyn, Quinton de Kock (wk), JP Duminy, Dean Elgar (vc), Heino Kuhn, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Morne Morkel, Chris Morris, Duanne Olivier, Andile Phehlukwayo, Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada
England v South Africa: First Test key stats
LORD'S
Overall: 133 Tests: 51 home wins, 31 away wins, 49 draws, 2 neutral wins
Last 10 Tests: 4 home wins, 4 away wins, 2 draws
Last 10 tosses: 6 bat first (5 wins/1 draw); 4 bowl first (1 win/1 draw/2 defeats)
Last Test: July 14-17, 2016: Pakistan (330 & 215) beat England (272 & 207) by 75 runs
England v South Africa: 7 home wins, 5 away wins, 4 draws
Last England v South Africa Test: August 16-20, 2012: South Africa (309 & 351) beat England (315 & 294) by 51 runs
ENGLAND
Last 10 Tests (most recent first): LLLLDLWLWW
Last 10 home Tests (most recent first): LWWLDWWLWW
Last 10 Tests - top batsmen
Joe Root 1044 runs @ 54.95 2x100 7x50
Alastair Cook 792 runs @ 41.68 2x100 4x50
Jonny Bairstow 767 runs @ 45.11 8x50
Moeen Ali 764 runs @ 47.75 3x100 4x50
Ben Stokes 507 runs @ 36.21 1x100 2x50
Last 10 Tests - top bowlers
Adil Rashid 30 wkts @ 35.66
Moeen Ali 30 wkts @ 43.93 1x5w
Ben Stokes 21 wkts @ 25.14 1x5w
Chris Woakes 21 wkts @ 30.76
Stuart Broad 17 wkts @ 32.58
SOUTH AFRICA
Last 10 Tests (most recent first): DWDWWWLWWW
Last 10 away Tests (most recent first): DWDLWWLLDL
Last 10 Tests - top batsmen
Quinton de Kock 893 runs @ 55.81 2x100 7x50
Dean Elgar 734 runs @ 45.87 3x100 3x50
Faf du Plessis 721 runs @60.08 2x100 4x50
JP Duminy 649 runs @ 38.17 2x100 2x50
Hashim Amla 541 runs @31.82 1x50 2x50
Last 10 Tests - top bowlers
Kagiso Rabada 47 wkts @ 23.17 2x5w 1x10w
Vernon Philander 35 wkts @ 23.17 2x5w
Keshav Maharaj 26 wkts @ 25.88 2x5w
Kyle Abbott 18 wkts @ 19.38 1x5w
Morne Morkel 11 wkts @ 26.72
England v South Africa: First Test key quotes
ENGLAND
Captain Joe Root on Gary Ballance: "He has had his success in an England shirt when he has batted at three, so his game is in good order, he has played very well this season and does look a different player to last time he represented England.
"I know the sort of person he is, and I am sure he is determined to show everyone he is capable of performing at this level."
Stuart Broad on his foot injury: "I'm delighted that the fat pad injury I aggravated last week does not look like it's going to stop me playing in the first Test of the summer.
"I had a sick, nervous feeling all of last week after a scan diagnosed a one-centimetre tear at the side of my left foot and I can't thank the physios at Notts and England enough for the work they've done to get me fit.
"Playing at Lord's — where we beat Surrey to win the Royal London One-Day Cup — was a big test and it was pleasing that I came through unscathed.
"It's amazing what can be done if an injury is well strapped, and the physios came up with an ingenious new way of strapping my foot which effectively closed up the tear and enabled me to bowl relatively pain free."
Coach Trevor Bayliss on the risk of burnout due to congested fixture list: “I’ll put it this way, there is a lot of cricket. Since I’ve been here we have had to give guys a rest because of that.
“I think we gave Joe Root and Ben Stokes a rest during the one-day series against Australia a couple of years ago. Jos Buttler as well. There is a lot of cricket.
“From May 5 earlier this year, there were something like 20 or 21 months out of the next 23 where there are matches on. So there’s an awful lot of cricket.
“There’s an ongoing communication with the players about it. The tell-tale sign (of burn out) is obviously if they’re not scoring as well or not bowling as well.
“Some guys withdraw a little bit within the dressing room environment. Those types of things start to happen and then you're having a chat and you realise maybe them having a little bit of time off might do them the world of good.”
Gary Ballance on his superb run of domestic form: "I haven't changed too much, from the naked eye you probably couldn't see much I'm just doing what I do better.
"It's taken a lot of work but you have to keep on top of it. People told me to change a little bit, maybe last year, but I tried to do that and couldn't score anything so I've kind of gone back to what I'm good at.
"Coming into the season, obviously I want to play for England but I didn't think about it, I just tried to score as many runs as I could for Yorkshire. The focus was on being captain, which I hadn't done before, being captain I couldn't worry about anything else like 'I've got to score runs today so I can get noticed'. That didn't even cross my mind.
"Being focused like that I feel like it helped my batting."
SOUTH AFRICA
Stand-in South Africa captain Dean Elgar on Kagiso Rabada: "He's been a find and he's taken to international cricket brilliantly.
"Those were the characteristics we expected he would show at this level."
"I'm sure he'll be up for it. He hasn't played a lot of cricket of late, so I'm sure his hunger is through the roof.
"You can see the way he's bowling in the nets. He's fresh and willing to go. If he hits his straps he's going to be something exciting to watch."
South Africa paceman Vernon Philander on high-profile absentees: "We've lost players in the past, and guys have stepped up.
"It's an opportunity for someone else to step up and make a name for himself. That's the way we always see it.
"We're a settled unit now. The boys have moved on, (and) have obviously done well over the last 12 months.
"Our focus is not on one particular player. Our focus is on the team."
South Africa team manager Dr Mohammed Moosajee on Faf du Plessis' absence: "Faf's wife gave birth to their first child last week, but the difficult nature of the delivery has delayed his return to the UK.
"The mother and baby have settled at home, but (Faf) will be unable to make it back in time to take part in the first Test match.
"He will link up with the squad in the UK later this week."
England v South Africa: First Test latest news
Dawson set for second Test cap
Liam Dawson will play as a second spinner for England in the first Test against South Africa, Joe Root has confirmed.
Hales backs 'positive' Root
Alex Hales has backed Joe Root to be a successful England Test captain.
Broad: Root will thrive on responsibility
Stuart Broad expects the England captaincy to take Joe Root to the next level.
Philander: Absences no excuse
Vernon Philander says South Africa cannot use high-profile absences as an excuse in England.
Du Plessis to miss first Test
Faf du Plessis will miss the first Test against England due to family reasons.
'Ingenious' strapping helps Broad
Stuart Broad is hopeful of being able to bowl pain-free at Lord's after physios devised an 'ingenious' new way of strapping his injured foot.
Ballance gets England call
Gary Ballance and Liam Dawson were named in England's 12-man squad for the first Test against South Africa at Lord's.
Bayliss wary of player burnout
Trevor Bayliss will continue to monitor his England players during a busy second half of the summer.
Gary Ballance ready for England
In-form Gary Ballance says he remains ready if called upon by England during the Test series against South Africa.
Get more England v South Africa news on our cricket page
England v South Africa: Betting tips
Our tipster Dave Tickner made bumper profits at the recent Champions Trophy.
Now he's delivered his verdict on the forthcoming Test series with two tips, plus another two for the first Test.
Click here for his full preview
England legend Sir Ian Botham is expecting a 'liberated' Alastair Cook to thrive now free of the burden of captaincy.
England v South Africa: Test series fixtures & results
July 6-10: First Test, Lord's
July 14-18: Second Test, Trent Bridge
July 27-31: Third Test, The Oval
August 4-8: Fourth Test, Old Trafford
