England Lions Squad Named to Shadow Ashes Team; Seven Pacers Included for Australia Tour

England Lions Squad Named to Shadow Ashes Team; Seven Pacers Included for Australia Tour

England have announced an 18-man Lions squad for their tour of Australia this winter, which will run parallel to the senior team’s Ashes campaign. Coached by Andrew Flintoff, the Lions will shadow the main squad during the first two Ashes Tests, providing vital match practice and injury cover.

Among the key inclusions are legspinner Rehan Ahmed and batter Jordan Cox, both of whom missed out on Ashes selection but remain on standby. Notably, the Lions group features seven seam bowlers, forming a pace-heavy arsenal to aid preparations and acclimatisation in Australian conditions.

The Lions will play three key fixtures: a warm-up match against England’s Test XI in Perth (Nov 13-15), a game against a Cricket Australia XI (Nov 21-24), and a match against Australia A in Brisbane (Dec 5-8). In addition, they are expected to provide most of the squad for the pink-ball tour fixture against the Prime Minister’s XI (Nov 29-30).

Fast Bowling Focus

The squad includes young quicks Sonny Baker, Josh Hull, Eddie Jack, Mitchell Stanley, as well as more experienced names like Matthew Fisher, who is rewarded for a strong domestic season with Surrey. Fisher is joined by Surrey teammate Tom Lawes and Nathan Gilchrist, recently signed by Warwickshire.

Rehan, Cox on Standby

While Will Jacks was chosen over Rehan Ahmed as the backup spinner in the senior squad, Rehan remains in close proximity to the Test setup. Jordan Cox's omission as a specialist wicketkeeper reflects England’s plan to rely on Ollie Pope as backup to Jamie Smith.

Cox is also likely to miss the final Lions match due to franchise commitments, having signed a lucrative deal with the Dubai Capitals in the ILT20.

Promising Call-ups

The Lions squad features four new faces, including Thomas Rew, the England Under-19s captain, who joins his older brother James Rew after a standout summer with Somerset. Other newcomers include Matthew Revis (Yorkshire), Ben Kellaway (Glamorgan), and Asa Tribe, a Jersey international with limited-overs experience.

Notable Absences

Among the missing are James Coles and Saif Zaib, both of whom had standout domestic seasons. Coles is reportedly focusing on T20 leagues this winter, with deals lined up in the SA20, ILT20, and Abu Dhabi T10.

Pacer Sam Cook, who debuted in Tests earlier this year, is another omission — though he remains a potential injury replacement should any of England's Ashes seamers become unavailable.

"There are some unbelievably talented players in this squad," said Lions coach Andrew Flintoff. "This is a fantastic opportunity for them to go to Australia, excel in the conditions, and get a taste of what an away Ashes series is all about."

England Lions Squad (Australia Tour):

Rehan Ahmed, Sonny Baker, Jordan Cox, Matthew Fisher, Emilio Gay, Nathan Gilchrist, Tom Hartley, Tom Haines, Josh Hull, Eddie Jack, Ben Kellaway, Tom Lawes, Ben McKinney, Matthew Revis, James Rew, Thomas Rew, Mitchell Stanley, Asa Tribe

Fixtures:

  • Nov 13–15: England vs England Lions (Lilac Hill, Perth)

  • Nov 21–24: Cricket Australia XI vs England Lions (Lilac Hill, Perth)

  • Nov 29–30: Prime Minister’s XI vs England XI (Manuka Oval, Canberra)

  • Dec 5–8: Australia A vs England Lions (Allan Border Field, Brisbane)

England Under-19s Squad for West Indies Tour:

Farhan Ahmed (capt), Ralphie Albert, Will Bennison, Ben Dawkins, Caleb Falconer, Jamie Feldman, Matthew Firbank, Alex French, Alex Green, Manny Lumsden, Ben Mayes, James Minto, Isaac Mohammad, Sebastian Morgan, Joe Moores, Jack Nelson, Charlie Taylor

Fixtures:

  • Nov 13 & 19: Youth ODIs vs USA (St Vincent)

  • Nov 16, 22, 25, 28 & Dec 1: Youth ODIs vs West Indies (St Vincent)