Vince to lead England Lions

England selectors today announced an 18-man England Performance Programme (EPP) squad and a 16-man England Lions squad for the first part of this winter’s tour programme. Hampshire’s James Vince, who was yesterday named in England’s T20 squad to take on Pakistan this autumn, will captain the Lions team in a five-match Twenty20 (T20) series against Pakistan ‘A’ in the UAE in December.
Vince will lead a strong Lions squad which includes five players with international experience; Sam Billings, Chris Jordan, Stephen Parry, Reece Topley and David Willey – plus Surrey all-rounder Zafar Ansari, who was named in England’s Test squad for the tour to UAE yesterday. Ansari’s inclusion in both the Lions and EPP squads will be subject to a further medical review of his thumb injury later this week.
Nineteen-year-old wicket-keeper batsman Joe Clarke from Worcestershire, who made his maiden First Class hundred earlier this month, is the youngest player selected in the 18-strong EPP squad, which includes a host of players who have impressed in domestic cricket this season.
Led by Andy Flower, the EPP winter programme will see all 18 players undertake a four-day training camp at the National Cricket Performance Centre (NCPC) in Loughborough in early November – before the squad divides into two specialist groups.

Hampshire batsman James Vince will again lead England Lions when they take on Pakistan A in five Twenty20s

Twelve players will attend a two and a half-week long batting and spin camp in Dubai starting on November 11^th while a six-strong group of fast bowlers will travel to South Africa on the same date to take part in a ten-day training camp in Potchefstroom under the guidance of EPP Lead Fast Bowling Coach Kevin Shine
The two groups will then re-unite in the UAE in the last week of November for further training and match practice ahead of the England Lions T20 series against Pakistan ‘A’, which gets underway on Monday 7^th December. Worcestershire’s Director of Cricket, Steve Rhodes, will work with the Lions this winter in an assistant coach capacity, alongside head coach Andy Flower.    
Commenting on the squads, National Selector, James Whitaker, said: “Congratulations to all of the players selected for the England Performance Programme and England Lions this winter.  It is hugely important that we have a reserve of players who are ready to perform on the international stage when they get the opportunity and the EPP and the England Lions play a vital role in identifying and developing the next generation of England cricketers.
“With the 2016 ICC World Twenty20 in India just six months away, the five-match T20 series for the Lions against Pakistan ‘A’ will form a particularly important part of our preparations for the tournament, ensuring that we can draw on a wider group of players who have recent experience of playing T20 cricket in sub-continental conditions. “
England Lions will return to Dubai to play a five-match one-day series against Pakistan ‘A’ in January 2016. The itinerary and squad for this tour will be announced in due course.
England Performance Programme 2015-2016
Batting and spin camp in Dubai, 11^th November – 1^st December

Name	County
Zafar Ansari	Surrey
Danny Briggs	Hampshire
Joe Clarke	Worcestershire
Daniel Bell-Drummond	Kent
Ben Foakes	Surrey
Lewis Gregory	Somerset
Chris Jordan	Sussex
Dawid Malan	Middlesex
Stephen Parry	Lancashire
Tom Westley	Essex
Ross Whiteley	Worcestershire
James Vince	Hampshire

Fast bowlers camp in Potchefstroom, South Africa, 11^th – 23^rd November followed by Dubai 24^th November – 1^st December

Name	County
Jake Ball	Nottinghamshire
Craig Miles	Gloucestershire
Tymal Mills	Sussex
Craig Overton	Somerset
Jamie Overton	Somerset
Olly Stone	Northamptonshire

England Lions v Pakistan ‘A’ Twenty20 squad, Dubai 1^st – 17^th December

Name	County
Zafar Ansari	Surrey
Jake Ball	Nottinghamshire
Sam Billings	Kent
Joe Clarke	Worcestershire
Daniel Bell-Drummond	Kent
Ben Foakes	Surrey
Lewis Gregory	Somerset
Chris Jordan	Sussex
Dawid Malan	Middlesex
Tymal Mills	Sussex
Stephen Parry	Lancashire
Reece Topley	Essex
Tom Westley	Essex
David Willey	Northamptonshire
Ross Whiteley	Worcestershire
James Vince (captain)	Hampshire

Itinerary

Date	Format	Opposition
4.12.15	T20 warm up	TBC
7.12.15	1st T20	Pakistan “A”
10.12.15	2nd T20	Pakistan “A”
11.12.15	3rd T20	Pakistan “A”
13.12.15	4th T20	Pakistan “A”
16.12.15	5th T20	Pakistan “A”