Worcestershire Head Coach, Alan Richardson, says batter Jack Haynes thrives on the kind of challenges he faced during the England Lions training camp in the United Arab Emirates, including having Jofra Archer bowl at him in the nets.
Haynes spent three weeks as part of the Lions training group, which also provided support for the England players preparing for the tour of Pakistan, and bowlers continuing their rehabilitation from injury, including Archer.
He also faced an attack containing England’s all-time leading wicket-taker, James Anderson, and Ollie Robinson during a three-day game between the Lions and England in Abu Dhabi in which he scored 36 off 42 balls.
Richardson said: “Jack has come back absolutely buzzing from his time there, and it was a very different experience for him.
“They did a lot of scenario-based things regarding playing in and around the sub-continent. It sounds like the players were challenged quite a lot in terms of that.
“But I think Jack totally enjoyed it. He loves batting and challenging himself, so the opportunity to face people like Jofra Archer and the likes is something Jack thrives on.
“It is those challenges that he continually looks for, which makes him such an exciting prospect for us.
“He has joined up with the boys again, is training at Malvern, and is keen on sharing his experiences.
“He is looking forward to whatever the winter holds for him, but those first two or three weeks in Abu Dhabi were an amazing experience for him.”