England Men's Lions Reveal Squad for Tour to Australia

The England Men’s Lions have recently announced a 16-player squad for their forthcoming tour of Australia in January. Among those included are Shoaib Bashir, Tom Hartley, and Josh Tongue, all of whom have previously represented England at the senior level. The Lions' tour consists of two four-day matches against a Cricket Australia XI in Brisbane, followed by a first-class Test against Australia A in Sydney.

Notably, the squad features talented players such as Essex seamer Sam Cook, Warwickshire top-order batter Alex Davies, and Somerset wicketkeeper-batter James Rew, who have all demonstrated strong performance in the County Championship. Davies, who stepped into the captaincy role at Warwickshire, averaged over 50 in the season, amassing more than 1,000 runs, including four centuries. Cook's bowling exploits included 43 Championship wickets at an impressive average of 17.30, while Rew showcased his skills as a wicketkeeper-batter with 45 dismissals and an average of 36, including two centuries.

Additionally, 16-year-old Rocky Flintoff has made the squad following his impressive domestic performances and participation in a training camp in South Africa. The England Lions will be coached by Andrew Flintoff, with support from a team of coaches, including consultant Trent Woodhill.

England Men’s Performance Director, Ed Barney, expressed satisfaction in selecting players who have proved themselves and possess considerable potential for the challenging tour ahead. The squad is scheduled to depart for Australia on January 3.

The tour party departs on 3 January.

England Men’s Lions Squad

Sonny Baker (Hampshire), Shoaib Bashir (Somerset), Pat Brown (Derbyshire), James Coles (Sussex), Sam Cook (Essex), Alex Davies (Warwickshire), Rocky Flintoff (Lancashire), Tom Hartley (Lancashire), Tom Lawes (Surrey), Freddie McCann (Nottinghamshire), Ben McKinney (Durham), James Rew (Somerset), Hamza Shaikh (Warwickshire), Mitch Stanley (Lancashire), Josh Tongue (Nottinghamshire), John Turner (Hampshire)

England Lions Tour Schedule

14-17 January 2025 - Cricket Australia XI v England Lions, Shaw Park, Brisbane

22-25 January 2025 - Cricket Australia XI v England Lions, AB Field, Brisbane

30 January – 2 February 2025 - Australia A v England Lions, Unofficial four-day Test, Cricket Central, Olympic Park, Sydney