Durham batter Emilio Gay has been named in England’s red ball squad for their tour of South Africa.
Gay has been included in a 15-player squad for the three-Test series away to South Africa which gets underway on 17 December at the Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg.
The Test series against ICC Test world champions South Africa will be Stephen Fleming’s first as England Men’s Test head coach.
Fleming flew to Perth last week, where the England Men’s white-ball team is preparing for their ODI and T20 series against Australia, to finalise selection and preparation plans for the South Africa Test tour alongside Managing Director of England Men’s Cricket, Rob Key, National Selector, Marcus North, and Men’s Performance Director, Ed Barney.
Uncapped left-arm finger spinner Liam Patterson-White has earned his first England Men’s Test call-up while Jacob Bethell returns to the Test squad following his knee injury during the summer.
The six players in the Test squad, who are not involved in the upcoming white-ball series in Australia – Sam Cook, Emilio Gay, Dan Lawrence, Liam Patterson-White, Ollie Robinson and Jamie Smith – will fly out to South Africa early with the England Lions squad for a preparation camp in Pietermaritzburg on November 25.
Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Sonny Baker, Ben Duckett and Joe Root will return to the UK immediately after the ODI series against Australia before flying to South Africa on December 2.
Harry Brook, Jacob Bethell and Jordan Cox will leave the tour of Australia after the fourth T20 in Sydney on November 29 and fly directly to South Africa.
England Men’s National Selector, Marcus North, said: “We have selected a strong and balanced squad that is ready for the challenge of facing a South African team that are ICC Test world champions and who returned to the top of the ICC Test rankings following their recent 2-1 series win over Australia.
“There are two changes to the squad that defeated Pakistan 3-0 at the end of the home summer with Liam Patterson-White earning his debut call-up while Jacob Bethell returns from a knee injury.
“Liam Patterson-White’s selection comes on the back of a strong summer in the Rothesay County Championship, when he took the most wickets of any spinner in Division One with 42 at an average of 25.11 and earned his first ECB Development Contract.
“We have also selected a strong England Lions squad, who will fly out to South Africa on November 25 for a preparation camp before three 50-over matches and two first-class games. Those players will benefit from experiencing South African conditions and ensure we have players who are fit and ready should they be required for the Test series.”
England Men’s Test squad (15 players):
Joe Root (Yorkshire – captain), Jofra Archer (Sussex), Gus Atkinson (Surrey), Sonny Baker (Hampshire), Jacob Bethell (Warwickshire), Harry Brook (Yorkshire), Sam Cook (Essex), Jordan Cox (Essex), Ben Duckett (Nottinghamshire), Emilio Gay (Durham), Dan Lawrence (Surrey), Liam Patterson-White (Nottinghamshire), Ollie Robinson (Sussex), Jamie Smith (Surrey), Josh Tongue (Nottinghamshire)