Jake Ball has been named in the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) squad for the annual Champion County match against Yorkshire in Abu Dhabi.
The 24-year-old has earned selection alongside full internationals Ian Bell, Scott Borthwick, Rikki Clarke, Graham Onions & James Tredwell, as well as a number of talented young players from the county game.
The four-day first class curtain raiser starts on Sunday 20 March and Ball will also be available alongside Sri Lankan legend Kumar Sangakkara for the Emirates Airline Twenty20 tournament two days earlier.
The fast bowler is no stranger to the opening fixture of the county season, having made his first class debut in the corresponding fixture in 2011.
“We have put together a squad with a great mixture of youth and experience that are capable of challenging Yorkshire, and I’m sure it will be an engaging fixture for everyone involved," said MCC Head of Cricket John Stephenson.
"In Ian Bell, we have one of the best England cricketers of recent years, and there is plenty of international experience throughout the rest of the group – as well as a number of young players with the potential to play for England. I’m confident our squad can do MCC proud, put on a good performance and uphold the Spirit of Cricket throughout the tour.”
The match will be played in day time conditions, with the red ball, at the request of Yorkshire.
The full MCC squad for the tour of Abu Dhabi and Dubai is as follows:
Ian Bell (Warwickshire, Captain)
Jake Ball (Nottinghamshire)
Scott Borthwick (Durham)
Nick Browne (Essex)
Rory Burns (Surrey)
Rikki Clarke (Warwickshire)
Ben Foakes (Surrey)
James Harris (Middlesex)
Graham Onions (Durham)
Kumar Sangakkara (Surrey)
James Tredwell (Kent)
Tom Westley (Essex)
The 2015 season saw dramatic last-gasp four day victories, thrilling limited-overs contests and an historic Investec Ashes Test, all in the unique surroundings of Trent Bridge.
Next season, we’d wager, will be no less enthralling and frankly we’d hate for you to miss out.