DURHAM'S Ben Stokes was yesterday named in the England Lions squad to face West Indies in a four-day fixture at Northampton, starting on May 10.

He will miss five days of cricket against Somerset at Chester-le-Street, with a championship clash starting on May 9, followed by a CB 40 match on the Sunday.

Somerset's Nick Compton is also in the Lions squad and they will still be without Marcus Trescothick, who has been ruled out until the end of May by an ankle injury.

Those two made Durham pay for putting Somerset in to bat on last year's visit, when Compton amassed 254 not out and Trescothick made 144.

In the return fixture at Taunton Trescothick scored 163 and Compton 56 as Somerset won by nine wickets.

Denis Compton's grandson is the highest run-scorer in the country so far this season with 685 runs in six innings, including double centuries against Nottinghamshire and Cardiff MCCU.

The former Middlesex batsman is one of nine in the Lions squad who toured Bangladesh or Sri Lanka with England Lions last winter.

James Taylor, who has yet to make a big score since joining Nottinghamshire from Leicestershire, has been named as captain.

There is no place for Durham's Scott Borthwick, with young Lancashire spinner Simon Kerrigan being preferred.

Squad: James Taylor (Nottinghamshire, capt), Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire), Jack Brooks (Northamptonshire), Michael Carberry (Hampshire), Matt Coles (Kent), Nick Compton (Somerset), Jade Dernbach (Surrey), Simon Kerrigan (Lancashire), Stuart Meaker (Surrey), Samit Patel (Nottinghamshire), Joe Root (Yorkshire), Ben Stokes (Durham)

n Durham will release a further ticket allocation on Monday for the NatWest Series one-day international match between England and Australia at Emirates Durham ICG on July 7.

The allocation will be for 2,500 seats in the new North East Terrace stand, on which construction begins this week.

Chief executive David Harker said: "International cricket here is always incredibly well supported and we're delighted that we can confirm the construction of the new North East Terrace.

"The initial ticket allocation for this match sold out quickly and we do expect that this allocation will be snapped up just as quickly and are therefore advising that those wishing to attend buy their tickets as soon as possible."

Tickets are priced at £60 and go on sale at 9am on Monday. They can be purchased online at durhamccc.co.uk by calling the box office, during office hours, on 0844-499-4466.