WORCESTERSHIRE duo Joe Clarke and Ross Whiteley are in the England Lions squad for the first time.

County director of cricket Steve Rhodes is part of Lions' coaching set-up for their winter programme in the United Arab Emirates.

The players are initially in the England performance programme squad, which will form a batting and spin camp in Dubai from November 11 until December 1, with Clarke the youngest member.

They will then be in Lions' squad to take on Pakistan 'A' in five T20 matches in the UAE from December 1 until 17.

Former England wicketkeeper Rhodes is relishing the chance to work with Andy Flower, now the England and Wales Cricket Board's technical director of elite coaching, and lead batting coach Graham Thorpe.

The 51-year-old believes Worcestershire will also reap the benefits of his spell with the Lions.

Clarke, 19, has been rewarded for an instant impact at New Road following his breakthrough into the senior side in June after becoming the first player to score two double hundreds for Worcestershire's second XI.

The former England under 19s wicketkeeper scored a series of fine half-centuries in the LV= County Championship and Royal London One-Day Cup before notching his first ton in both competitions.

Clarke hit an unbeaten 131 off 101 balls against Gloucestershire in the RLC and 101 not out in the Championship match against Sussex at New Road.

He recently signed a new three-year contract with Worcestershire.

Whiteley, who represented England in the Hong Kong Sixes, has again shown his prowess in white-ball cricket this summer and was the joint leading six-hitter in the country in the NatWest T20 Blast with 29, including 11 against Yorkshire at Headingley.

But he also forced his way into the Championship side and put together a series of impressive scores, including a century against champions Yorkshire at Scarborough.

Whiteley, 27, has also signed a new contract with Worcestershire for four more years up until the end of the 2019 season.

Rhodes has full confidence in coaches Matt Mason, Kevin Sharp and Elliot Wilson to ensure Worcestershire continue to operate smoothly during his absence.