Jennings to captain Lions in Sri Lanka
AFTER being plucked from the Lions to score a century in his England debut, Keaton Jennings will be back with the England Lions as captain in their series against Sri Lanka.
Opener Jennings, 24, will be joined in Sri Lanka in February and March by Haseeb Hameed and Ben Duckett. Hameed is included in a 15-man squad for the first section, which is due to include two four-day matches against Sri Lanka A, while Duckett is in a separate 14-man squad for a fivematch 50-over series.
Jennings is one of ten players included for both sections of the tour after the Lions beat Afghanistan in a first-class match last week.
Tom Alsop, Joe Clarke, Liam Livingstone, Ben Foakes, Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Ollie Rayner, Craig Overton and Tom Helm are also involved in both parts of the tour. Hameed, Nick Gubbins, Tom Westley, Toby Roland-Jones and Jack Leach have been selected for the first part, with Duckett, Daniel Bell-Drummond, James Fuller and Josh Poysden coming in for the 50-over series.
National selector James Whitaker said: “Keaton Jennings impressed everyone on the Lions programme, with his leadership skills as well as his batting. The Sri Lanka tour offers him the chance to gain further captaincy experience as well as playing some high-quality cricket in different and challenging conditions.
“Like Keaton and Ben Duckett, I know Hameed will relish the chance of playing quality cricket in Sri Lanka.
“Congratulations also to Tom Helm and Josh Poysden. They have been on the selectors’ radar for a while as players of promise, and that’s why they were invited to join the Lions in training in Dubai – where they made a big impression.” Squad for first section, including four-day matches v Sri
Lanka A: K Jennings (Durham, capt), H Hameed (Lancs), N Gubbins (Middlesex), T Alsop (Hampshire), T Westley (Essex), J Clarke (Worcs), L Livingstone (Lancs), B Foakes (Surrey), S Curran (Surrey), T Curran (Surrey), T Roland-Jones (Middlesex), T Helm (Middlesex), C Overton (Somerset), O Rayner (Middlesex), J Leach (Somerset). Squad for 50-over series v Sri Lanka A: K Jennings (capt), D Bell-Drummond (Kent), T Alsop, B Duckett, J Clarke, L Livingstone, B Foakes, S Curran, T Curran, C Overton, T Helm, J Fuller (Middlesex), O Rayner, J Poysden (Warks)