Dom Bess - new challenges await in the Caribbean with England Lions<br>credit: www.ppauk.com

YOUNG off-spinner Dom Bess has been called into the England Lions squad for the four-day section of their West Indies tour.

Dom BessBess,had already been selected for the three-match one-day series against West Indies A in March. Now he replaces Worcestershire seamer Josh Tongue, who aggravated an ankle problem during the Lions’ training camp in Australia before Christmas.

Before they head off for Jamaica on January 31, the Lions will be holding another training camp at the Desert Springs Resort in Spain from January 20-25.

The Lions play a three-day warm-up match at Sabina Park on Jamaica ahead of four-day matches at Trelawny and Sabina Park. The Lions then switch to Antigua for the third four-day match against West Indies A after which the one-day series will take place.

Somerset and Devon spinner Bess has been back home with family in Sidmouth for Christmas and the New Year, resting up after the Lions training camp in Australia.

The camp included training with England’s Ashes squad and a round of games that included three twenty20 games against the Perth Scorchers as part of their warm-up for the Big Bash tournament.

“It was a massive month to really understand what I need to do to move on to the next level,” said Bess. “I’ve only been part of the First Class set-up for 12 games, so it’s all still pretty new.

The Caribbean tour is a chance for Bess to develop his twenty20 skills, an area of the game he has not played too much for Somerset.

 “It seems like I’ve taken my opportunity in Australia, and shown what I can do and forced my way onto the white-ball side, which is a massive positive in my career especially seeing how cricket is going nowadays,” said Bess.

“I want to show how athletic I am in the field and the skills I’ve got, bat and ball – also my game management, because you’ve got to be very aware within the game, especially the speed that it goes at now.

“Hopefully I can really kick on and show Somerset and England that I’ve also got the white-ball skills.”