ENGLAND’S selectors have named Kent’s Robert Key to captain the England A side to take on Sri Lanka in a four-day tour first-class friendly at Worcester from May 4 to 7.

Key will skipper a side that includes five winter tourists in Alastair Cook, Alex Loudon, Sajid Mahmood, Liam Plunkett and Owais Shah together with Chris Tremlett, who had to withdraw from the Pakistan tour through injury.

The selection will mean Key misses Kent’s championship clash with Lancashire starting at Old Trafford on May 3 where vice captain Min Patel is likely to lead the side.