Archie Vaughan to Make England U19 Test Debut Against Sri Lanka

Archie Vaughan, the son of former England captain Michael Vaughan, is set to make his Under-19 Test debut against Sri Lanka next week. The 18-year-old top-order batter and offspinner has been named in a 14-man squad that includes several other familiar family connections.

Rocky Flintoff, the son of former England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff, is also in the squad, as are Farhan Ahmed, the son of former Pakistan international Saqlain Mushtaq, and Jaydn Denly, the son of former England batsman Paul Denly.

Vaughan has been part of Somerset's academy set-up since 2020 and signed his first professional contract with the county earlier this season. He has yet to make his Somerset first-team debut, but he made his mark at age-group level last week with an innings of 85 from 83 balls for a Young Lions Invitational XI in a warm-up match against the England U19 ODI squad.

Flintoff Jr. top-scored for the England U19 ODI squad in that match with 106. Vaughan and Flintoff Sr. played alongside each other in 48 Tests between 1999 and 2008, and now their sons could begin their own partnership at age-group level in two Tests, at Wormsley on July 8-11, and Cheltenham on July 16-19.

The team will be captained by Hamza Shaikh, who featured in two Youth Tests against Australia last year and is set to play against the touring West Indians in a Test warm-up at Beckenham this week. Shaikh has taken charge of Warwickshire's second XI on several occasions already this summer, during which time he has captained the likes of Chris Woakes, Liam Norwell, and Jake Lintott.

"They've helped me and given me more confidence in my leadership on and off the field, advising on bowling options and field placements," Shaikh told Warwickshire's website. "I like to think I'm a fairly calm guy and captaincy doesn't faze me. I'm looking forward to the challenge and hopefully coming away with a series win."

The team will also feature several players who have already been in ODI action against Sri Lanka, including Kesh Fonseka, Noah Thain, and Freddie McCann, who made a matchwinning 174 from 139 balls at Hove on Monday.

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