Zafar Ansari, Matt Dunn and Jason Roy react to their EPP calls
Jason Roy is hoping his inclusion in the England Performance Programme will be the start of an exciting winter.
The 24-year-old is part of the EPP squad that will travel for a three-week training camp in Sri Lanka following a stunning season for Surrey.
The destructive batsman passed 1,000 runs in LV= County Championship Division Two and topped the NatWest T20 Blast run-charts with 677.
That tally included nine half-centuries as Surrey reached the semi-finals, leading to his England NatWest T20 international debut in the narrow victory over India at Edgbaston.
Replicating his impressive performances in county cricket is what Roy is targeting in Sri Lanka, especially with a Lions tour also on the horizon.
Roy, who signed a new three-year deal at the Kia Oval at the start of this month, told ecb.co.uk:“It’s always nice to be in their eye and in their thoughts. I am really looking forward to that. Hopefully I can impress.”
On a possible Lions call, Roy added: “That will be a great tour to go on, especially pre-World Cup. You never know. Do well out there and you never know what doors can open.”
As well as Roy, two other Surrey players have been rewarded for their fine championship performances this term.
All-rounder Zafar Ansari contributed 913 runs and 24 wickets while paceman Matt Dunn led the attack admirably, snaring 39 scalps.
While also working on his batting, Ansari is relishing the opportunity to improve his bowling during the three weeks in Sri Lanka.
He said: “To think there are people outside of your bubble that are looking at what you are doing and are impressed by it is a nice thought.
“The prospect of going to Sri Lanka and spending two or three weeks out there and working on my bowling, with the potential of something after Christmas as well, is very exciting.
“I have wanted, especially with the disruptive winter I had last year with the knee operation, to improve my bowling. The EPP spin programme before Christmas will give me the opportunity to do that.”
Dunn is hoping to prove his worth during his trip to South Africa with six other English pacemen.
He said: “I am absolutely delighted. It will give me a good chance to work on everything I need to throughout the winter.
“I am excited to start. Hopefully I can go there and show them what my best assets are and go from there.”