Yates and Shaikh get England Lions nod

Bears batters Rob Yates and Hamza Shaikh have been called up to the England Lions squad to face Sri Lanka next week.

joshstacey

2024-08-09T16:48:56.000Z

Yates returns to the England set-up for the first time since December 2021 when he travelled with the Lions to Australia as part of the Ashes tour.

But it’s a first call-up for Shaikh whose stock continues to rise in 2024 following his debut as England Under-19 Youth Test captain last month.

The 18-year-old hit 107 in the second Youth Test against Sri Lanka U19s just days after impressing for a First Class Counties Select XI when he put on a classy 84 against the touring West Indies in Beckenham.

England Lions face Sri Lanka at New Road, Worcester, from 14-17 August.

It means the pair will miss Warwickshire’s final Metro Bank One Day Day Cup group game against Nottinghamshire at Rugby School (14 Aug) and a potential Quarter Final tie two days later.

Yates, who scored 41 against Australia A on the 2021 tour and took the wicket of Usman Khawaja, said: “I spent five weeks with the Lions shadowing the senior Ashes squad. It was my first taste of any England environment and I really enjoyed it.

“It was great to spend time with players from other counties and get fresh insights. I chatted to the senior guys as much as I could and just tried to absorb as much as possible.

“It’s another exciting opportunity for me and a chance to test myself against international quality bowlers.”

For Shaikh, it’s another significant milestone in what’s been a breakthrough year – and one that’s caught the eye of former England captain Michael Vaughan who’s earmarked Shaikh as one to watch for the future.

“I took a call from Michael Vaughan ahead of the two Youth Tests,” said Shaikh, who’s played in every One Day Cup game so far this summer. “It was a lovely touch that he took the time to offer me some advice and encouragement.

“It’s been an incredible 12-months for me but I know I just need to keep my head down, stay focused and keep concentrating on my game.

“It’ll be an incredible experience being around some of the best young players in the country. It can only help my game and I’ll aim to soak up as much advice and tips as I can from the England coaching team.”