WORCESTERSHIRE batsman Joe Clarke has regained his spot in the England Lions squad - and will be appearing at New Road next week against South Africa.

Clarke had been a regular member of the Lions set-up for the past 18 months until not featuring in the early games of this summer.

But the 21-year-old has earned a recall after scoring two superb centuries in the Specsavers County Championship Division Two triumph over Kent at New Road.

The 22-year-old had gone into the game without a Championship century to his name this season but all his rich promise and potential returned.

After hitting 142 in the first innings, Shrewsbury-born Clarke kept his nerve, finishing 110 not out in the second as Worcestershire galloped to their 399 target with 19.1 overs remaining.

It will give County supporters the chance to see him in action against the tourists in the three-day fixture which starts on Thursday, June 29.

Worcestershire director of cricket Steve Rhodes is delighted at Clarke's return to the international fold.

He said: "I an delighted for him. He has had a tough start to the season but it is typical Joe Clarke that he bounced back and showed such resilience to get two hundreds in the same game.

"He showed the sheer determination once he had got in and got his touch back to make the most of it.

"He is an ambitious lad who wants to play for England and he knows the stepping stone to achieve that is the Lions.

"Joe knows he needs to get more runs than the other people who are in the Lions team and we are all delighted for him."

The Proteas match will offer a real opportunity for Clarke to make his mark as it is South Africa's final game before the first Test against England so they are likely to field a near full strength side.

Clarke will be available to Worcestershire the first two days of their day-night County Championship clash at Durham before reporting for Lions duty on Wednesday.

Counties will be allowed fully participating substitutes for days three and four of their fixtures.

Gary Ballance has been appointed captain of England Lions after averaging more than 100 in the County Championship in his first season as Yorkshire skipper.

Sam Billings, Liam Livingstone and Mason Crane are also in the squad and currently involved with England in their NatWest T20 International series against South Africa.

Billings will be the wicketkeeper, while Middlesex opener Sam Robson returns to the Lions squad for the first time since the tour of South Africa in the winter of 2014-15.

Essex batsman Tom Westley is also included after impressing in the two four-day matches against Sri Lanka A in the winter.

Robson will open with Keaton Jennings, who is one of only three players currently facing South Africa A for the Lions in a four-day match in Canterbury who are also included in the squad for next week’s game, along with the fast bowlers Jamie Overton and Tom Helm.

George Garton, the Sussex bowler was included in the 13-man squad for Canterbury but missed out on the final XI,.

He is again selected, alongside Lancashire’s Saqib Mahmood, a team-mate in the ICC Under-19s World Cup early last year.

National selector James Whitaker said: “We did not consider players from Nottinghamshire or Surrey because the last day of the game clashes with the Royal London One-Day Cup final on July 1.

“We were mindful that all 18 first-class counties have important fixtures in the Specsavers County Championship day-night round which runs from Monday to Thursday.”

England Lions (v South Africa at New Road, June 29 to July 1): Jennings (Durham), Robson (Middlesex), Westley (Essex), Ballance (Yorkshire, captain), Livingstone (Lancashire), CLARKE (WORCESTERSHIRE), Billings (Kent, wicketkeeper), Overton (Somerset), Helm (Middlesex), Garton (Sussex), Mahmood (Lancashire), Crane (Hampshire).