KENT’S Ed Smith and James Tredwell say they are honoured to have been selected for the ECB England Academy squad for the forthcoming tour of Malaysia and India.

At the age of 26 Smith, the former Tonbridge School and Cambridge University prodigy, is the senior statesman of the party having won two caps against South Africa last summer.

The eight-week trip represents another rung up the international ladder for 21-year-old Ashford-born spinner Tredwell, who is bound to benefit from playing first-class cricket in India.

“When we heard the tour was being up-graded to ‘A team’ status we worried that the selectors may add some senior pros and leave a few of the Academy lads at home,” said Tredwell from the Academy’s Loughborough headquarters.

“Obviously I’m delighted to have made the 15 and hope that all the hard work I’ve put in at the Academy proves worthwhile. I’ve been working five-and-a-half days a week on fitness and my bowling and it seems to be paying dividends.

“As far as the fitness goes, I’ve improved eight levels on the bleep tests and lost four per cent of my body fat, but more than anything I’m pleased with the changes to my action.

“I’ve got more energy and vigour into the delivery stride now, which is helping me get more action on the ball. In turn that's giving me a little more late dip through the air which is what you need to bamboozle the world’s best batsmen.”

Though Tredwell has played in Sri Lanka for England Under-17s he is expecting this trip to be the toughest of his young cricketing career.

“By the time we get out there India will have finished their tour of Australia, so there’s half a chance I could even come up against the likes of Dravid, Laxman or even Tendulkar,” he added. “Even if I don’t, I will be coming up against some top flight batsmen on good spinner’s pitches

“They tend to bat big in their first innings over there. It’s not unheard of them posting 800 in a first class game, so it’ll be a great opportunity for me to bowl plenty of overs and develop my game.”

England’s 15-man squad leaves on January 26 and, in a bid to attract bigger crowds, has been given England A status.

England will compete in the premier first-class competition, The Duleep Trophy, playing qualifiers on February 21 and 27 with a possible final appearance on March 5 should they top their three-team group. The schedule also includes three one-day matches against India ‘A’.

Smith is no stranger to India, having wintered there twice in the last four years with Kent and England spinner Min Patel and Sussex all-rounder Robin Martin Jenkins, but is looking forward to a third visit.

“I just plan to score as many runs as I can and make a good impression as an England tourist,” said Kent's leading scorer for 2003. It’s a fantastic honour, a great opportunity for me as a cricketer and one I’m very much looking forward to.

“I haven’t seen a great deal of first-class cricket in India, but one thing I know for sure is that it will be incredibly competitive and that we’ll get to play on some good pitches and against some top-flight spin bowlers.”

The party also includes Nottinghamshire’s South African-born all-rounder Kevin Pietersen, widely admired at Kent and who may yet become a target for new coach Simon Willis.

Commenting on Smith’s inclusion and the selection policy, chairman of Selectors David Graveney said: “Having discussed the composition of the squad with Rod Marsh, it was felt that the squad would benefit from the inclusion of an extra batsman.

“Ed was unlucky to miss out on selection for the full Test squads this winter and a tour of India will give him the ideal opportunity to complete his development as a player.”

England ‘A’ Squad: Kadeer Ali (Worcestershire), Simon Francis (Somerset), Alex Gidman (capt Gloucestershire), Simon Jones (Glamorgan), Shaftab Khalid (Worcestershire), Michael Lumb (Yorkshire), Sajid Mahmood (Lancashire), Graham Napier (Essex), Scott Newman (Surrey), Kevin Pietersen (Nottinghamshire), Matthew Prior (Sussex), Bilal Shafayat (Nottinghamshire), Ed Smith (Kent), James Tredwell (Kent), Graham Wagg (Warwickshire).