Middlesex pair Sam Robson and James Harris have been named in the England Performance Programme squad for this winter’s tour of Australia.
They have been included in a 16-man party that will spend a month Down Under and effectively shadow the main Ashes squad, which includes Middlesex paceman Steven Finn.
Robson’s selection suggests the Australian-born opener, who qualified for England earlier this year, has committed to playing for his adopted country.
This season was the 24-year-old’s most successful in English cricket, scoring 1,180 runs in the County Championship at an average of 47.
Robson said: “I have loved my life in London, love playing for Middlesex and have been very fortunate to have worked with [Middlesex director of cricket] Angus Fraser, the rest of the Middlesex coaching team and all of the players at the club.
“It is a great honour and a real privilege to have been selected in the England Performance Programme and I am hugely excited and really looking forward to the winter ahead.”
Harris, 23, who has previously played for the England Lions, took 25 wickets this season.
The Performance squad will train together at the National Cricket Performance Centre in Loughborough before flying out to Australia, where they will split their month between Brisbane and Perth.
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This post was last modified on 23/09/2013
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Imagine the reception Robson would get walking out to a raging Boxing Day crowd, how many players can England poach. The strength of their county system is to recruit foreigners.