LONDON, July 27: Middlesex batsman Eoin Morgan was on Friday named captain of the England Lions squad for two four-day games against Australia ‘A’ next month.

The 25-year-old was one of four players with Test caps – along with Yorkshire batsman Jonny Bairstow, Nottinghamshire all-rounder Samit Patel and Kent off-spinner James Tredwell – included in the 13-man group for the matches at Old Trafford on Aug 7 and Edgbaston on Aug 14.

All members of the squad have already been capped for England Lions.

National selector Geoff Miller said: “The Lions and England performance programme plays an important role in the development of future England players and this fixture will present an opportunity for our players to show us they are capable of representing England at Test level.”

Squad: Eoin Morgan (captain, Middlesex), Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire), Matt Coles (Kent), Nick Compton (Somerset), James Harris (Glamorgan), Simon Kerrigan (Lancashire), Craig Kieswetter (wicket-keeper, Somerset), Stuart Meaker (Surrey), Samit Patel (Nottinghamshire), Joe Root (Yorkshire), James Taylor (Nottinghamshire), James Tredwell (Kent), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire).—AFP