Liam Patterson-White earns first England Test call-up as Shoaib Bashir moves to Lions

England have handed Nottinghamshire spinner Liam Patterson-White his first Test call-up for the three-match tour of South Africa, leaving Shoaib Bashir out of the senior squad. BBC Sport reported that the 15-player group will be captained by Joe Root, with the series beginning in Johannesburg on 17 December. It will be England’s first tour under new head coach Stephen Fleming.

Patterson-White, who turned 28 on Sunday, earned selection after taking 42 wickets in the County Championship last season, more than any other spinner in Division One. The left-arm bowler has also scored three first-class centuries and recently received an England development contract. Selector Marcus North cited his consistency and progress over the past two seasons, pointing to his ability both to contain batters and become a wicket-taking option later in matches.

Bashir will travel with the Lions instead, despite being the only specialist red-ball spinner awarded an England central contract last month. The 23-year-old bowled in just one of England’s six home Tests during the summer. North said England remained committed to his development, while explaining that Patterson-White offered the balance the selectors wanted for this particular tour.

Jacob Bethell returns after a knee injury, having last featured in the Test side in July. His availability adds another option to a batting group that included Emilio Gay and Jordan Cox during the 3-0 home series victory over Pakistan. North said the top six for the opening South Africa Test had not yet been decided. Sam Curran was not considered because he is getting married.

England will also need pace-bowling cover for Josh Tongue, who is set to miss the opening Test for the birth of his second child. Tongue is currently absent from the one-day series in Australia with a toe injury and is due to see a specialist. North confirmed that one or two players would be added from the Lions, with Brydon Carse among the seamers competing for those places.

Preparations will be staggered, with some Test players joining the Lions in late November and others travelling after England’s one-day matches in Australia. Harry Brook, Bethell and Cox will miss the final Twenty20 international there to head to South Africa. Will Jacks will captain England for the first time in Brook’s absence.