Promising Kent duo Ryan Davies and Hugh Bernard have been called-up by England under-19s for next month’s clash with their Australian counterparts.

Sandwich wicketkeeper-batsman Davies is included in the squad for the four-day clash with the tourists at Durham which starts on August 4 and is joined in the party for the five-match Royal London one-day series, beginning on August 11, by teammate Bernard.

Davies, 18, made his first team bow last month, making two LV= County Championship and three NatWest T20 Blast appearances in the absence of Sam Billings on England one-day duty.

Bernard, 18, from Folkestone, has appeared nine times for Kent 2nds this summer, claiming 4/22 in the semi-final of the County 2nd XI T20 competition at Arundel last Thursday.

The short-form series begins at South Northumberland CC on August 11 with further fixtures at Chesterfield three days later, Derby on the 17th, Leicester on August 20 and the final match at Worcester two days after that.

The series comes less than four months after England returned from a reciprocal tour Down Under, where they narrowly lost the one-day series 3-2, and secured an excellent draw in the four-day match at the WACA with Davies to the fore.

Bernard claimed 5/14 in the final match of the tour in Perth.

England Development Programme Chairman of Selectors, David Graveney, said: “We have selected two separate and larger squads than normal, reflecting the number of young players currently featuring in first team county cricket. Head of the EDP, Andy Hurry, has carefully discussed what is best for the development of each individual player with their counties.

“Naming a large squad therefore enables us to be flexible and able to react should any of the selected players be called-upon to play first team county cricket.

“Both sides know each other well, having played a hard-fought series in Australia just four months ago, and the matches this summer will once again form an important part of England’s preparation for the 2016 ICC U19 World Cup in Bangladesh next February.”