Batsman Trott gets England 'A' recall on domestic form

Batsman Jonathan Trott has been selected for the England Lions tour of South Africa, his first international call-up since leaving last year's Ashes tour with a stress-related illness.

The 33-year-old, who has scored 3,763 runs in 49 Tests for England, has been included in the England Lions first-class squad for the matches against South Africa A beginning in January.

South Africa-born Trott returned to competitive action for Warwickshire at the start of the season having spent four months away from cricket after leaving the Ashes tour of Australia because he was feeling "emotionally and mentally spent".

However, Trott took a break from the game once again in April but returned in May and ended the season with 628 first-class runs for Warwickshire which included three hundreds.

"Jonathan Trott's exceptional form and run scoring exploits for Warwickshire at the end of the summer has resulted in his selection for the first-class fixtures at the beginning of the tour," national selector James Whitaker said.

Trott will only play the first-class matches against South Africa A and will sit out two four-day games and five one-day matches.

England Test opener Sam Robson and number three batsman Gary Balance have also been named in the provisional first-class Lions squad.

Image: Jonathan Trott 

Photograph: Gareth Copley/Getty Images