Kentish Express Ashford & District
England call for county youngsters
Kent’s Hugh Bernard and Ryan Davies have both been named in the England under-19 squad for the tri-series against Sri Lanka and India in December. The pair will be hoping to impress ahead of the World Cup in Bangladesh, starting in January. The call-ups complete an excellent year for the two Academy graduates, with Bernard, 19, last week, winning his first professional contract, while 18-year-old Davies made his first-team debut as deputy for England one-day international Sam Billings. England Development Programme chairman of selectors, David Graveney, said: “The tour to Sri Lanka before Christmas represents the last chance for the players to impress ahead of the final selection of the squad for the ICC Under-19 World Cup in Bangladesh in January and February next year. “It is now down to them to show that they deserve to be named in the World Cup squad when that is announced towards the end of December.” than 2,000 runs in all competitions, but though he was included in this week’s PCA Team of the Year alongside clubmate Matt Coles, he was overlooked by ECB selectors for an England Lions call-up for this winter’s trip to Dubai – a squad which included Kent colleagues Sam Billings and Daniel Bell-Drummond.
He said: “You want to see Kent players developing and going on to play for England. Considering what they have done for us this season, Alex Blake and Matt Coles were in