England Lions Set to Roar Down Under: Squad Announced for Australian Tour

England Lions have unveiled an 18-member squad for their upcoming tour of Australia scheduled for later this year. Set to convene in early November, the team will compete in several matches across Perth, Canberra, and Brisbane. According to the ECB, the squad boasts four players with Test caps, including Rehan Ahmed, Matthew Fisher, Tom Hartley, and Josh Hull. In addition to them, Sonny Baker and Jordan Cox have international experience in limited-overs formats.

This tour marks the first Lions call-up for Thomas Rew, captain of England's Under-19 team, alongside newcomers Matthew Revis and the Glamorgan duo Ben Kellaway and Asa Tribe. Andrew Flintoff, Head Coach of the England Lions, expressed enthusiasm about the squad's composition, highlighting the immense talent and the opportunity to face challenging conditions. He underscored the potential learning curve this tour provides, particularly in preparation for an away Ashes series.

The Lions will engage in development camps in October at ECB's Performance Centre before heading down under. Upon arrival in Perth, they will compete against England Men in a three-day warm-up from November 13 to 15 at Lilac Hill, leading into the first men's Ashes Test at Optus Stadium. A four-day match against a Cricket Australia XI and subsequent fixtures in Canberra and Brisbane round out their schedule.

(With inputs from agencies.)