MARK Ealham’s end-of-season mood season was given a huge lift after England named the Kent all-rounder in their seven-man squad to contest next month’s Hong Kong Sixes tournament. Overlooked for the current one-day international tour of Zimbabwe, Ealham may secretly have feared his international career was over, particularly after suffering a bitterly disappointing season for Kent.

But this call up to Hong Kong coupled with a late season career-best 153 against Northamptonshire and Kent’s Norwich Union League title success has helped raise morale in the Ealham household.

"You have to say it’s nice to still be involved with international cricket, whatever the format," said Ealham. "I was on stand-by for the Zimbabwe tour and when Craig White pulled out through injury thought I may have a chance of going.

"But I got the call from David Graveney on Monday top say they were replacing ‘Chalky’ with a batsman (Graham Thorpe) because they had planned to open the innings with him.

"I’m not dead and buried as far as one-day international cricket’s concerned and I’m still hopeful of making the tours of India and New Zealand and would love to play in the next World Cup, but I understand England’s need to look at other younger players."

It will be the second time Ealham has competed in the event, having played for England in Hong Kong in 1997 when they finished runner's-up to Pakistan.

England Hong Kong Sixes squad (November 10-11): Matthew Maynard (Capt, Glamorgan), Paul Collingwood (Durham), Mark Ealham (Kent), Andrew Flintoff (Lancashire), Ben Hollioake (Surrey), Richard Johnson (Somerset), Ian Blackwell (Somerset).