WITH THREE LIONS

ACE STILL HAS FUTURE

old that he still has a big part to play for England.

Smith added: “He’s a central cricketer for England across the formats, he’s got a fantastic future in an England shirt and that is some of the things we’ll be talking about face to face. Jonny is a very good player who has probably not been playing at his best in the last spell in Test match cricket.”

Fast bowler Mahmood and spinner Parkinson are also in the Twenty20 squad for the five-match series, along with Somerset wicketkeeper-batsman Tom Banton and Worcestershire seamer Pat Brown.

Banton has burst onto the scene this season, hitting 549 runs in the Vitality Blast, while Brown took 17 wickets as Worcestershire reached the final at Edgbaston last weekend.

Mahmood and Parkinson helped Lancashire finish top of the North Group before their quarter-final exit, taking eight and 21 wickets respectively.

Eoin Morgan, who led England to 50-over World Cup glory earlier this summer, will also continue to captain the T20 side. Speaking after day one of Warwickshire’s Specsavers County Championship clash with Yorkshire, Sibley said: “There have been a few articles written in the last few days and my friends and family have been saying ‘oh, you’re picked’, but until you get that confirmation you can’t think about it too much.

“So it’s a thrill to have it confirmed and to be going away with England to New Zealand is really pleasing.

“We’ll see how it goes out there and hopefully I will get a Test match.”