CRICKET: England Lions call-up for Jos Buttler (From Bridgwater Mercury)

CRICKET: England Lions call-up for Jos Buttler

7:20pm Wednesday 21st December 2011 in Somerset CCC

Somerset’s young wicket-keeper batsman Jos Buttler has been selected for the England Lions to tour Bangladesh in January.

The 21-year-old played his first game for the Cidermen in September 2009 and at the end of last summer made his full England T20 debut, so he has made a rapid rise through the ranks.

Since then Buttler has been part of the England Performance Programme and has spent the last month out in India working on his batting and wicket-keeping.

He only returned from Pune on Wednesday and after spending Christmas with his family sets off on January 2 for the three week trip during which the Lions will play Bangladesh A in five 50 over games and two T20s.

Following on from the tour to Bangladesh the Lions will travel to play a one-day series against Sri Lanka A, the squad for which will be announced in January.

Somerset head coach Andy Hurry said: “It’s great that Jos has been selected for the England Lions.

“He has impressed the coaches he has been working with out in India and has made a considerable impact.

“He is in the forefront of the selectors minds as one of the players to not only play T20 and one day internationals but also potentially Test match cricket for England.”

All rounder Pete Trego will be out in Bangladesh at the same time as Buttler, playing for Abahani in the Dhaka Premier League which is a 50 over competition.