England will bring Rehan Ahmed , Jordan Cox , and seven fast bowlers to Australia this winter as part of an 18-man Lions squad. Andrew Flintoff's team will shadow England's main touring party for the first two Ashes Tests, providing a stable of potential reinforcements at close quarters.

The Lions will provide England with their only competitive match practice ahead of November's first Test in Perth and will then face a Cricket Australia XI (also in Perth) and Australia A (in Brisbane) alongside the first and second Tests. They are also expected to provide the bulk of the England XI to face the Prime Minister's XI in a pink-ball tour match.

Rehan and Cox were both overlooked for the main Ashes squad but will both be on standby at the start of the tour in the event of injury. Will

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