ROWDE youngster Tom Alsop has been called up for England Lions ' squad for the last two matches of the Tri-Series against Pakistan A and Sri Lanka A in Kent.

Alsop, a 20-year-old left-hander who opened for England U19s last summer and has played regularly in Hampshire’s first team this season, replaces Joe Clarke, who suffered a side injury warming up ahead of the Worcestershire Rapids match at Derby in the NatWest T20 Blast on Friday evening.

“It’s a real shame for Joe, who has impressed the Lions management during the first half of the series as he did in Dubai in the winter,” said James Whitaker, the National Selector.

“But that has given us the opportunity to call another talented young player into the squad in Tom Alsop.

“We do have other options in the squad originally selected for the Lions, but we felt this was a good chance to give Tom a taste of the Lions set-up, and for our elite coaches to have a closer look at him.

“He has done well in all forms of cricket for Hampshire this season especially in 50-over cricket in the Royal London One-Day Cup, where he is 16th in the MVP Rankings run by the Professional Cricketers’ Association, meaning he is pushing hard for a place in the North-South series that will be played in the UAE next spring.

“There were other more experienced players we considered, but as ever we were anxious to be respectful to the counties, with most of them having important matches in the Royal London One-Day Cup on Sunday.”

Alsop linked up with the Lions squad in Canterbury today and joins Calne's Liam Dawson in the squad.

England could secure top spot with a second victory against Pakistan A at the Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence on Sunday – before they play Sri Lanka A at the same venue in the last match of the series on Monday.