Monty Panesar included in England Lions team

Monty Panesar will get an early chance to impress the England selectors after being named in the England Lions side to face Bangladesh in a four-day match at the County Ground in Derby starting on May 19.

Panesar has not played any cricket for England since the first Ashes Test last summer and was not chosen for either of England's overseas tours over the winter. Having moved counties during the off-season Panesar has enjoyed a good start with Sussex this season. He now gets a chance in a team captained by Alastair Cook, who led England in place of the resting Andrew Strauss during their recent tour of Bangladesh.

It is not only another chance for Cook to hone his captaincy but offers him a much-needed opportunity for some time in the middle after averaging just 28.37 in five games for Essex this season.

Geoff Miller, the national selector, thinks Cook's time in Bangladesh will be useful for the fixture. "Alastair Cook has an opportunity to further enhance his captaincy skills after a successful tour to Bangladesh and his knowledge of the Bangladesh side will be invaluable for his team."

Alongside these two experienced Test players there are a clutch of youngsters who have been rewarded for promising starts to the season. Moeen Ali has enjoyed a prolific run for Worcestershire this season, making 468 runs at 78.00 from four matches and gets his first chance for England Lions having captained England Under-19s in 2006. Similarly James Harris, the 19-year-old Glamorgan seamer, is called up after taking 24 wickets so far this season.

"Several of these players were involved in the England and England Lions squads this winter and have had strong performances for their counties this season while Moeen Ali and James Harris are two promising young players who have been rewarded for playing pivotal roles for Worcestershire and Glamorgan respectively," said Miller.

"The Lions matches are excellent opportunities for players pushing for England places to show what they are capable of and we have selected a group of players we feel possess many of the strengths and qualities needed to succeed in international cricket."

England Lions: Alastair Cook (captain, Essex), Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), Michael Carberry (Hampshire), Steven Davies (Surrey), Andrew Gale (Yorkshire), James Harris (Glamorgan), Steve Kirby (Gloucestershire), Monty Panesar (Sussex), Liam Plunkett (Durham), James Taylor (Leicestershire), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire).