WILTSHIRE cricketers Liam Dawson and Tom Alsop will join the England Lions to face the United Arab Emirates and Afghanistan this winter.

Calne's Dawson and Nottinghamshire's Jake Ball, who both set to travel to Bangladesh at the end of this month for England's three-match one-day international series, have been named in an 18-man Lions squad.

Meanwhile Rowde's Alsop, 20, who recently hit his maiden County Championship century for Hampshire against Surrey is also named, having previously represented England's U19s.

The touring party will prepare initially in Loughborough before moving on to Dubai for a training camp followed by three 50-over matches against UAE there and then a three-day fixture against Afghanistan in Sharjah.

Also included are a clutch of emerging players who were in the reckoning for England's Test or ODI squads named last Friday.

The squad is one of three, as well as a nine-strong list of players designated overseas placements, announced by the England and Wales Cricket Board on Monday for its 'international pathway' programme this winter.

It is part of a rebranded development strategy which provides opportunities in the Lions, the Young Lions, a pace programme and the overseas placements.

Lions coach Andy Flower, who will lead them in Dubai and Sharjah, said: "We are taking 18 players, because - whereas last winter and in our tri-series this summer, our focus was specifically on white-ball cricket - this year we will be working on both white-ball and red-ball skills.

"Developing skill will remain the highest priority of our work, with a range of specialist coaches to work with the players in the excellent facilities at the ICC Academy, and initially the opportunity to do that away from the different demands of competition.

"However, towards the end of the camp we will play as England Lions in white-ball and red-ball fixtures - and an England Lions squad will then be selected later in December for a tour of Sri Lanka in February and March, which will again involve white-ball and red-ball fixtures."