Rocky Flintoff: Andrew Flintoff’s son named in England Lions squad
Off-spinner Bashir has played 15 Tests since making his England debut on the tour of India in February. His inclusion is an opportunity for experience in Australia before his expected role as England’s first-choice spinner during the Ashes.
Left-arm spinner Hartley played all five Tests in India in early 2024 but has not been part of an England squad since the T20 World Cup. Pace bowler Tongue played in the home Ashes of 2023 and is working back to fitness from a pectoral injury that has kept him out of action for more than a year.
Pace bowlers John Turner and Pat Brown, who have both played for the senior England team in white-ball cricket, are also included.
Warwickshire captain Alex Davies, 30, and prolific Essex seamer Sam Cook, 27, provide experience. Promising Somerset wicketkeeper-batter James Rew has been a fixture in recent Lions squads.
Along with Flintoff, there are a number of players with fewer than 10 first-class matches, including pace bowler John Turner and batters Ben McKinney, Freddie McCann and Hamza Shaikh.
Pace bowlers Sonny Baker and Mitchell Stanley, of Hampshire and Lancashire respectively, are yet to make their first-class debuts.
Left-arm seamer Josh Hull, who made his Test debut against Sri Lanka in September, will travel as part of his return from a quad injury, but is not part of the official squad.
