KYLE HOGG has been handed a double international call-up - but that could mean he hardly plays again for Lancashire this season.
The teenage all-rounder has been selected for the England under-19 team for the first of their three match series against India, and also put on standby for a place at the England cricket academy in Adelaide next winter.
It is a recognition of the huge impact Hogg has made since being called into Lancashire's Championship team at the start of the season.
But that is a double-edged sword, as selection for the under-19 team will severely limit his availability for the rest of the year.
The first game against India starts on July 27, ruling him out of Lancashire's Championship game against Hampshire at Southampton.
Assuming Hogg retains his place for the other two "Tests", he would also be unavailable for the return game against Hampshire at Old Trafford, and the home Roses Match against Yorkshire.
And then there are three one-day internationals at the end of August which would take him away for the game against Somerset at Blackpool.
There is a long-running debate about whether talented young cricketers would be better off staying with their counties and playing in the Championship rather than returning to age group cricket - especially when, like Hogg, they have already been playing under-19 internationals for a couple of years.
But Lancashire manager Mike Watkinson said diplomatically: "It's a big honour for Kyle to be picked for the under-19s again, and now it's a case of dovetailing those games with whenever he can play for us."
Watkinson revealed that James Anderson, who turns 20 at the end of this month and is therefore ineligible for the under-19s, is also being considered for a place at the academy, although he is not on the list of 20 players which has been selected by ex-Australia wicket keeper Rod Marsh, and former Lancashire captain John Abrahams.
"They are looking closely at Jimmy but it might be that another 12 months with us on our 12-month contracts would be more beneficial at his current rate of progress," added the Lancashire boss.
Hogg has been rested from Lancashire's last two Championship matches against Kent and Leicestershire but is set to return against West Indies A at Liverpool next week.
He hasn't missed much at Grace Road, with another washout yesterday - the second in three days - removing any chance of a result, and leaving the teams playing for bonus points today.
GRAHAM LLOYD and Chris Schofield have been recalled to the squad for tomorrow's National League game at Northampton.
Lloyd was left out of the Championship game at Leicester after a poor run of scores, while Schofield has not figured for several weeks.
But they have both remained regulars in one-day cricket.
Tim Roberts is added to the 11 who faced Surrey in the rain-ruined game at Old Trafford last Sunday, with Stuart Law still missing with his broken thumb.
Lancs (v Northants, Sunday, from): Chilton, Swann, Byas, Fairbrother, Driver, Lloyd, Roberts, Hegg, Chapple, Schofield, Wood, Martin.
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