Andrew Flintoff Leads New-Look England Lions

Andrew Flintoff will lead a squad of 19 England Lions players to South Africa next month in his first role as head coach for the team. Notably, Yorkshire's Jafer Chohan, recently included in England’s senior white-ball squad, is among six fresh faces in this Lions team.

The tour, set from November 20 to December 14, combines a rigorous training camp with an unofficial four-day Test against South Africa A in the Western Province. This setting will give up-and-coming players a chance to mirror the senior men’s team’s training regimen as they simultaneously take on a Test series in New Zealand.

Josh Hull, initially selected for England's Test series against Pakistan but sidelined by a quad injury, joins the Lions for this tour after featuring in his debut Test against Sri Lanka at the Kia Oval last month. Hull is one of four players with prior senior squad exposure; he joins Dan Mousley, Dillon Pennington, and Pat Brown. Brown, a seasoned T20 bowler now with Derbyshire, last represented England in 2019.

Chohan, the first England squad member to emerge from the South Asian Cricket Academy, will have limited participation in South Africa due to his Big Bash League commitments. Lancashire wicketkeeper-batter Matt Hurst, also on his first Lions tour, will be present in a similar limited role.

The squad features several recent England Under-19 players, including 17-year-old Harry Moore, a Derbyshire fast bowler, and Nottinghamshire opener Freddie McCann, who recently helped his team maintain their County Championship status with an impressive century.

Flintoff, also the Northern Superchargers head coach in The Hundred, expressed his excitement about the talented squad, saying he’s thrilled with a roster that balances seasoned performers and dynamic young talent from England’s domestic circuit. He added that the camp will play a vital role in the players’ growth, offering insights into the international game and easing their transition into high-level competition.

England Men's Performance Director, Ed Barney, noted that the selection reflects England's needs across all formats and prioritises developing fast bowlers. Over half the squad consists of pace bowlers, which highlights England’s focus on nurturing this talent. Barney also mentioned that the four-day match against South Africa A will provide the squad with a valuable opportunity to showcase their skills against quality opposition.

The coaching and support team for the tour will be announced soon.

England Lions Squad  

- Farhan Ahmed (Nottinghamshire)  

- Zaman Akhtar (Gloucestershire)  

- Kasey Aldridge (Somerset)  

- Pat Brown (Derbyshire)  

- Jafer Chohan (Yorkshire)  

- James Coles (Sussex)  

- Henry Crocombe (Sussex)  

- Josh Hull (Leicestershire)  

- Matt Hurst (Lancashire)  

- Tom Lawes (Surrey)  

- Freddie McCann (Nottinghamshire)  

- Ben McKinney (Durham)  

- Harry Moore (Derbyshire)  

- Dan Mousley (Warwickshire)  

- Dillon Pennington (Nottinghamshire)  

- James Rew (Somerset)  

- Hamza Shaikh (Warwickshire)  

- Mitch Stanley (Lancashire)  

- John Turner (Hampshire)