Brydon Carse back in England Lions squad with Test return in sight
England have named fast bowler Brydon Carse in their Lions squad, a step that could return him to the Test side for the tour of South Africa. The Lions are England's second-string team, used to test players on the way back into the main set-up. BBC Sport reported the squad news.
Carse has not been in any England squad since August, when he was handcuffed outside a nightclub in Derby. Derbyshire Police have ended their investigation into a potential assault involving him. The Cricket Regulator has charged him, and a verdict is still pending. Carse has kept playing for Durham and has remained available for England selection.
His route back could come as cover for Josh Tongue, who will miss the first Test in Johannesburg, starting on 17 December, for the birth of his second child. Tongue is also out of England's one-day series in Australia with a toe injury and is due to see a specialist in the UK. Carse is one of six Lions seamers in contention for that spot, alongside Henry Crocombe, Olly Stone, Matthew Fisher, Eddie Jack, Matthew Potts and Mitchell Stanley.
England selector Marcus North said the Lions is the right place to reintroduce Carse to the England environment. North also confirmed that "one or two" Lions players will be called up to the senior squad. Nothing has been finalised, and selection talk around Carse remains unconfirmed until England name their team.
England have named a 15-man squad for the three-Test series, which starts in Johannesburg on 17 December. Liam Patterson-White, an uncapped left-arm spinner from Nottinghamshire, has been called into the Test squad for the first time. He takes the place of Shoaib Bashir. Bashir made his debut at 20 and has since become England's youngest bowler to reach 50 Test wickets.
Jacob Bethell returns to the Test squad for the first time since July, after recovering from a knee injury. Sam Curran was not considered for the South Africa squad because he is getting married. The tour is England's first under new head coach Stephen Fleming, which gives the squad an extra layer of novelty for the players and fans alike.
