New Zealand bowler Tim Southee has been cleared to play England as coach Mike Hesson considers employing four seamers for the first Test starting at Lord’s on Thursday.

Southee felt pain in his left foot midway through the drawn four-day match against the England Lions in Leicester. He withdrew on the third morning to undergo scans and visit a specialist in London.

Following treatment on his left toe, 24-year-old Southee was passed fit to play his 25th Test and his second at the famous London ground.

In his first, in 2008, he took five English wickets in the drawn first Test.

“Tim’s fine. It was very much a precautionary response really from us,” Hesson said.

Hesson says the bowling mix for the first of two Tests is still to be confirmed.

The widely-held expectation has been that Southee and Trent Boult will be supported by one of Neil Wagner or Doug Bracewell.

However, Hesson hinted that all four seamers could play.

Asked if left-arm spinner Bruce Martin might be omitted, Hesson says it will depend on an assessment of the Lord’s pitch.

“Absolutely. That’s an option,” he said.

“Whoever is left out, it will be a tough decision but we have to choose the side that best suits the conditions.”

Martin, 33, impressed in his step up to Test cricket during the drawn home series against England in March, which followed a solid 13-year domestic career.