Yorkshire'S Michael Lumb's inclusion on the England A tour of Malaysia and India marks another important stage on his journey towards becoming a fully-fledged Test batsman.

Lumb, 24, next month, is the South African born son of former Yorkshire opener, Richard, and he topped 1,000 first class runs last season for the first time in his career.

Brought up in Johannesburg, the left-hander played for South Africa in the Under 19s World Cup in 1998, but he and his father then decided that Michael would stand a better chance of improving his game by playing in England.

He spent two years with Yorkshire Seconds while qualifying as an England player and he made his Championship debut in 2001. He hit his maiden first class century against Leicestershire at Headingley later that season, which meant he and Richard became only the fourth father and son to score centuries for the county.

Early indications that Michael had England potential were confirmed last summer when he played some sparkling innings which included two Championship centuries and seven half-centuries.

Michael also excelled in one-day matches, being Yorkshire's top-scorer in the National League with 441 runs and emerging as the country's leading six-hitter in the zonal stages of the Twenty20 Cup with 13 blows over the boundary rope - a feat which earned him £1,500 in prizemoney.

Capped by Yorkshire last season, Lumb junior was handed a place among the first batch of players at the new England Academy which opened at Loughborough in the autumn.

It is this squad of players who make up the England A squad, along with Kent batsman Ed Smith, who will be trying to regain the form which brought him England Test recognition last year before the runs dried up, and the 26-year-old lost his place.

England A will play three one-day games against India A and they will also compete in the country's domestic four-day competition, the Duleep Trophy.

Chairman of Selectors David Graveney said: ''This is a fantastic opportunity for England 'A' and we are very grateful to the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) for allowing the team to compete in India's main domestic competition."

England 'A' Squad: K Ali (Worcestershire), S Francis (Somerset), A Gidman (Gloucestershire, capt), S Jones (Glamorgan), S Khalid (Worcestershire), M Lumb (Yorkshire), S Mahmood (Lancashire), G Napier (Essex), S Newman (Surrey), K Pietersen (Nottinghamshire), M Prior (Sussex, wkt), B Shafayat (Nottinghamshire), E Smith (Kent), J Tredwell (Kent), G Wagg (Warwickshire).

* Former Yorkshire all-rounder Gavin Hamilton, who has been signed by Durham for next season, gets an early opportunity to see if he is any nearer sorting out his bowling problems.

Hamilton has been included in Scotland's squad for the ICC Six Nations Challenge in Dubai from February 29 to March 6, the winners of the competition qualifying for the ICC Champions Trophy which takes place in England in September.