Alex Hales and Samit Patel have been included in the England Lions squad to face Sri Lanka ‘A’ in a four day game at Scarborough next week.

Hales has also been named in the Lions’ one day squad for a three match 50-over series and will miss Nottinghamshire’s LV= County Championship match against Durham and Clydesdale Bank 40 fixtures against Glamorgan and Somerset.

“Alex has played particularly well in all formats this season and this is a real opportunity for him to push on and establish himself in the pecking order,” said Nottinghamshire Director of Cricket Mick Newell.

“The Lions programme is well established as the stepping stone to international cricket and it is important that players make their mark in that environment.”

Leicestershire batsman James Taylor will captain England Lions for the first time in both series. Hales is one of five players who have yet to play for England Lions in four-day cricket along with Joe Root (Yorkshire), Scott Borthwick (Durham), Stuart Meaker (Surrey) and Jack Brooks (Northants).

England Lions 4 day squad vs Sri Lanka A, Scarborough 2-5 August
James Taylor (Leicestershire) ©
Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire)
Ravi Bopara (Essex)
Scott Borthwick (Durham)
Jack Brooks (Northants)
Jade Dernbach (Surrey)
Alex Hales (Nottinghamshire)
James Harris (Glamorgan)
Craig Kieswetter (Somerset)
Stuart Meaker (Surrey)
Samit Patel (Nottinghamshire)
Joe Root (Yorkshire)
 
England Lions one day squad vs Sri Lanka A 12, 14, 16 August
James Taylor (Leicestershire) (Capt.)
Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire)
Ravi Bopara (Essex)
Scott Borthwick (Durham)
Danny Briggs (Hampshire)
Steven Finn (Middlesex)
Alex Hales (Nottinghamshire)
James Harris (Glamorgan)
Stuart Meaker (Surrey)
Chris Nash (Sussex)
Ben Stokes (Durham)
Chris Woakes (Warwickshire)