Coles and Ibrahim fly Sussex flag for England Lions in Sri Lanka

A squad of 19 has been selected for the five-match one-day series starting later this month which will form part of England’s preparation for the ICC Men’s Under-19 World Cup that gets under way in the Caribbean in January.

The squad for the Sri Lanka tour will arrive in the country on November 22 with the first match of the series taking place on Tuesday 30.

All five matches will be played at the Singhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground, Colombo.

The squad for the tour was selected by a panel led by Young Lions Head Coach Richard Dawson, who said: “We are looking forward to touring Sri Lanka in what should be a challenging and exciting five-match ODI series.

“It’s a great opportunity for our squad to experience touring the sub-continent. It will give them a chance to play in a pressurised environment against their international peers in unfamiliar conditions.

“This trip is an integral part of their future development and will also provide good preparation leading into the ICC Men’s U19 World Cup in the Caribbean starting in January 2022.”

Archie Lenham, who was part of the Young Lions series against West Indies in the summer, was unavailable for selection for the Sri Lanka tour as result of a minor back injury sustained in training.

Coles and Ibrahim both broke into the Sussex first XI in 2021 and fared well in county championship and one-day cup matches.