GRAHAM Onions will miss Durham's match at Worcester next week after being selected to play for England Lions against Sri Lanka at Derby.

While it will open the door for Steve Harmison to return against Division One's bottom club, there is little consolation for Yorkshire in losing two men for the Roses match at Liverpool

There are no Lancashire players in the Lions squad, but Yorkshire will be without Jonny Bairstow and Ajmal Shahzad. The selectors shied away from disrupting them even further by declining to pick skipper Andrew Gale or opener Adam Lyth.

Onions' selection confirms that he is back in England reckoning for this summer's series against Sri Lanka and India following his year's absence with a back injury.

After playing in eight Tests he had to return from Bangladesh in February last year and after prolonged rest failed to cure his problem he underwent pioneering surgery in September.

He will also miss Durham's CB 40 League match at Edgbaston on Sunday week, but will be available for the championship match at the same venue, starting the following Tuesday.