Ralphie Albert to lead England Under-19 tour of Pakistan

Surrey allrounder Ralphie Albert has been appointed captain of an 18-player England Under-19 squad set to tour Pakistan this coming December. Nottinghamshire spinner Farhan Ahmed will support Albert as vice-captain during the winter assignment. The tour kicks off with an intensive 12-day training camp in Colombo, Sri Lanka, running from November 19 to November 30, before the squad travels to Rawalpindi for the main competitive leg. The tour schedule features three Youth ODIs followed by a four-day Youth Test match, all hosted in Rawalpindi. Coaching Staff & New Leadership Former Durham seamer Neil Killeen takes charge of the Young Lions on an interim basis for their winter programme, which includes this tour to Pakistan and a subsequent trip to Australia in the new year. Killeen steps in after Mike Yardy was appointed as the Elite National Batting Lead. Joining Killeen on the coaching staff are experienced figures Joe Denly, Steve Mullaney, and Kyle Hogg. Speaking about the upcoming assignment, head coach Neil Killeen said: "I am really looking forward to leading an exciting group of young players and coaches across their winter programme. This is an opportunity for these young players to experience new countries and conditions and for our coaching team to help develop their game in a world-class environment, which will only help in their journey towards international cricket." "Sri Lanka is an excellent venue for our training camp, where we can build towards what we know will be a tough contest in Pakistan following our series in the summer." Squad Inclusions and Development Programs The squad features Worcestershire left-arm seamer Jeet Varaich, who receives his first Young Lions call-up as an uncapped player. Several squad members will follow tailored travel and training schedules: Marley Simpson and Luke Symington will join the group exclusively for the preparation camp in Sri Lanka. Fast bowlers Charlie Taylor and Manny Lumsden will link up with the squad in Rawalpindi, where they will undergo individual management plans designed specifically for fast-bowler development. Full England U19 Men's Squad Ralphie Albert (Captain) Farhan Ahmed (Vice-Captain) Subhaan Ali Robbie Bowman Tom Bradley Thomas Edwards Luke Hands Theo Lamey Manny Lumsden Bertie Michael Isaac Mohammad Joe Moores Jack Nelson Leo Selvey-Clinton Marley Simpson Luke Symington Charlie Taylor Jeet Varaich Tour Itinerary November 19–30: Training Camp in Colombo, Sri Lanka December 5: 1st Youth ODI in Rawalpindi December 7: 2nd Youth ODI in Rawalpindi December 9: 3rd Youth ODI in Rawalpindi December 13–16: 1st Youth Test in Rawalpindi