TROTT GETS LIONS CALL-UP

JONATHAN TROTT has been selected for England Lions’ new year tour of South Africa, marking a possible full international comeback.

The 33-year-old batsman has not featured for England since his premature departure from last winter’s Ashes tour.

An aborted return to county cricket with Warwickshire in April raised major doubts about his future, but after a second attempt Trott finished the season in good form.

And the England and Wales Cricket Board have included him in the 14-man group that will play two first-class matches against his native South Africa in January.

ECB national selector James Whitaker said: “Jonathan Trott’s exceptional form and run scoring for Warwickshire at the end of the summer has resulted in his selection.”

Middlesex batsman Sam Robson, who opened the batting in all seven Test matches this summer, will join Trott in the squad – indicating his lacklustre form at the top of the order has left questions still to answer.

There is a call-up for Kent offspinner Adam Riley, tipped by many as the likeliest long-term heir to Graeme Swann’s mantle.

Trott, Robson and Riley will be replaced by Lancashire spinner Stephen Parry, Nottinghamshire all-rounder Samit Patel and explosive Surrey batsman Jason Roy for the one-day leg.

Of the 11 players taking part in both formats, seven come from County champions Yorkshire.

Adam Lyth and Alex Lees, the White Rose county’s openers, will play alongside team-mates Jonny Bairstow, Gary Ballance, Jack Brooks, Liam Plunkett and Adil Rashid.