Worcestershire pace bowler Josh Tongue has been named as part of an unchanged 16-player squad for the first two LV= Insurance Men’s Ashes Test matches against Australia.

Academy product Tongue made his Test debut in the ongoing fixture against Ireland at Lord’s, taking a five-wicket haul in the second innings to guide the home side to a convincing 10-wicket victory.

That performance on debut has done his future international prospects no harm at all and his captain Ben Stokes was keen to praise the seam-bowler at the end of the clash with Ireland.

Stokes added: "The first time I actually met Tonguey was the start of this week when we got together so he must think I am a pretty good bloke giving him his Test debut!

"He was very unlucky in the first innings not to get a wicket but he definitely reaped the rewards and the way he bowled contributed to the five wickets he got in this innings because they were already on the back foot against him, knowing he had that extra bit of pace.

"He can bowl 90mph full and short so he was one step ahead in the second innings because of the way he bowled in the first innings."

The squad will report to Birmingham on Monday, 12 June. They are due to practice at Edgbaston from Tuesday 13 June.

England Men’s Ashes Test Squad:

Ben Stokes (Durham) Captain
James Anderson (Lancashire)
Jonathan Bairstow (Yorkshire)
Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire)
Harry Brook (Yorkshire)
Zak Crawley (Kent)
Ben Duckett (Nottinghamshire)
Dan Lawrence (Essex)
Jack Leach (Somerset)
Ollie Pope (Surrey)
Matthew Potts (Durham)
Ollie Robinson (Sussex)
Joe Root (Yorkshire)
Josh Tongue (Worcestershire)
Chris Woakes (Warwickshire)
Mark Wood (Durham)

LV= Insurance Men’s Ashes Series

1st Test: England v Australia, 16-20 June, Edgbaston, Birmingham
2nd Test: England v Australia, 28 June-2 July, Lord’s, London
3rd Test: England v Australia, 6-10 July, Headingley, Leeds
4th Test: England v Australia, 19-23 July, Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester
5th Test: England v Australia, 27-31 Kia Oval, London

There was some concern about the fitness of captain Stokes throughout day three. 

Stokes had not made any contribution to the scorecard until he caught Curtis Campher off Joe Root during Saturday’s morning session, but the grimace on his face and subsequent hobble to join his team-mates in celebration sent alarm bells ringing ahead of the Ashes opener on June 16.

But Stokes revealed: "I bowled this morning (in the nets) for the first time in four weeks and I felt really good. I was real happy with how I bowled.

"I bowled for about 20 minutes and I got through that really well. Obviously I have got time to build up before I push back into flat out but I just landed quite awkwardly when I took that catch.

"I didn’t quite see it so had to adjust myself and landed on my left leg. It twisted in a really strange way but it was fine, I just don’t know what really happened.

"It was one of those things, but I am 32 tomorrow so that probably explains it."