James Minto has been named in the England Men’s U19s squad for their red and white ball tour of South Africa this month.
The 17-year-old made his Durham professional debut against Worcestershire in the Metro Bank One Day Cup picking up two wickets on debut, going onto play a further two first-class matches against Surrey and Kent, claiming two wickets.
The squad will fly out on Thursday 9 January with the opening Youth ODI at Cape Town on Friday 17 January. The two-match Test series begins in Stellenbosch on Sunday 26 January before the second Youth Test in Cape Town starting Monday 3 February.
Somerset all-rounder Archie Vaughan will captain England Men U19s for the first time.
Vaughan will lead an 18-man squad across three Youth ODIs and two Youth Test matches.
Young Lions Head Coach, Michael Yardy, said: “After putting in a lot of purposeful work on a really good camp before Christmas, we get the opportunity to play against South Africa Under-19s, which will be very exciting for the boys competing in an England shirt.”
Archie Vaughan said: “I found out that I was going to be captain during the training camp before Christmas and it was a very special moment.
“To get the opportunity to represent England at this level is really special in itself, but to lead the team out is something else.
“It will obviously be a good challenge and we’ll have to adapt to the conditions. The training camp that we had over there before Christmas was really beneficial and we’re all ready and raring to go.
“If someone had told me 12 months ago that I would have forced my way into the Somerset first team and be captaining the Under-19s I wouldn’t have believed them. It’s happened quickly but I’m going to keep my feet on the ground and work harder and harder.
“The next step is to try and win in South Africa and hopefully I can perform as well.”
England Men U19s squad for tour of South Africa:
Archie Vaughan (Somerset – captain), Farhan Ahmed (Nottinghamshire), Tazeem Ali (Warwickshire), Ben Dawkins (Kent), Kesh Fonseka (Lancashire – Test squad only), Alex French (Surrey), Alex Green (Leicestershire), Jack Home (Worcestershire), James Isbell (Middlesex), Eddie Jack (Hampshire), Ben Mayes (Hampshire), James Minto (Durham)
Harry Moore (Derbyshire), Joe Moores (Lancashire – ODIs only), Thomas Rew (Somerset), Aaryan Sawant (Middlesex), Naavya Sharma (Middlesex), Alexander Wade (Yorkshire)
England Men U19s tour schedule in South Africa:
Tuesday 14 January: 50-over warm-up – England Men U19s v Western Province CC, Cape Town.
Friday 17 January: 1st Youth ODI – England Men U19s v South Africa Men U19s, Western Province CC, Cape Town
Sunday 19 January: 2nd Youth ODI – England Men U19s v South Africa Men U19s, Western Province CC, Cape Town
Wednesday 22 January: 3rd Youth ODI – England Men U19s v South Africa Men U19s, Paul Roos Gymnasium, Stellenbosch
Sunday 26 January – 29 January: 1st Youth Test – England Men U19s v South Africa Men U19s, Coetzenburg CC, Stellenbosch
Monday 3 February – 6 February: 2nd Youth Test – England Men U19s v South Africa Men U19s, Western Province CC, Cape Town