Alex Hales has been selected in England’s 12-man squad for the first test against Sri Lanka.

The 27-year-old, who is a former Chesham Grammar School student, is expected to continue at the top of the order when the three match series kicks off on Thursday, May 19.

Hales’ inclusion had been under some doubt after a challenging winter saw him average just 21.33 during the tour of South Africa.

His four match test career has yielded only 136 runs form eight innings, while a score of 60 is his top score in the longer format of the game at international level.

He will be hoping to transfer the form shown in the one day game where he has averaged 34.35 and picked up two centuries and six 50s from his 29 appearances.

There were also call-ups for the uncapped pair of James Vince and Jake Ball.

The series will see England return to action for the first time since their devastating T20 World Cup Final defeat to the West Indies, which saw Carlos Braithwaite hit four sixes in the final over to snatch victory.

Sri Lanka’s visit ends at the start of July before England finish their summer with a series against Pakistan.