England greats Ian Bell and Graeme Swann will be part of the coaching staff for the Lions’ training camp in the United Arab Emirates this month.
A 15-strong training group was named last month and will fly to the UAE on Sunday for the camp, which will include a three-day game against the England Test side ahead of their tour to Pakistan.
Bell will lead the batting coaching alongside Surrey’s Jim Troughton, while Swann will be present for the first week of the tour and act a personal development mentor to a group that includes teenage spinner Rehan Ahmed.
Paul Tweddle (Somerset), Min Patel (Kent), Neil Killeen (Durham) and England’s elite pace bowling coach Jon Lewis will also form part of the set-up.
“It’s a really exciting staff team for a trip that I think will be of huge benefit to all of our players,” said the ECB’s performance director Mo Bobat.
“There’s a wide range of experience to call upon, from across the game, and I’m looking forward to seeing everyone come together this weekend.”
The Lions will be joined in the UAE by Jofra Archer, Saqib Mahmood and Bryson Carse as the trio of quicks step up their injury rehab, while a number of England’s Test players not currently involved in the T20 World Cup - including the likes of James Anderson and Ollie Robinson - will also fly out early with the group.
“In Ian Bell and Graeme Swann, we have two people with so much international experience, it’s brilliant to have them as part of the group, and I know everyone will be looking forward to working with them,” Bobat added.
“When you add to that the likes of James Anderson and Jofra Archer, who will be out in the UAE with us preparing and training, it’s sure to be a fantastic learning opportunity for the Lions players.”
