Pace hope Overton out of Lions tour

Jamie Overton, the Somerset fast bowler who has rapidly attracted England's attention will miss the Lions tour of Sri Lanka in the New Year because of a knee injury. The ECB has announced that he will be replaced by Mark Wood, of Durham.

Overton and his fellow pace bowler, Wood remained at the National Performance Centre in Loughborough this winter to work on strength and conditioning while other members of the England Performance Programme shadowed the senior side in Australia.

The Lions will play five matches in Sri Lanka in February and March, including three four-day matches against Sri Lanka A.

Overton, still 19, was called up to England one-day squad against both Ireland and Australia last summer, but failed to make a debut, so denying him the opportunity to become the youngest cricketer to play for England since Brian Close in the 1940s. Not since the late Ben Hollioake made a dramtic impact into the England side in 1997 has a teenager made the full side.

He suffered from tendonitis in his knee on several occasions last season.