DURHAM will not be able to call on Mark Wood for the crucial championship game starting at Southport on Saturday following his call-up to the England Lions squad.

It was expected that the paceman would make his four-day comeback against Lancashire, but an injury to Somerset's Jamie Overton created a vacancy for the Lions' tri-series against the A-teams of Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

The first of the four 50-over matches the Lions will play in eight days is at Cheltenham on Monday, followed by one at Northampton and two at Canterbury.

Wood is available for this Friday's home match against NatWest T20 Blast group leaders Northamptonshire, but will miss next week's T20 games at Headingley and at home to Lancashire.

Assuming he is not recalled to the full England squad, his first chance of championship action is at Taunton on August 4-7.

As he continues his comeback from two ankle operations Wood joined the England practice session at Lord’s yesterday, along with Ben Stokes.

The possibility of Stokes being drafted in to replace Gary Ballance for the first Test against Pakistan receded when the Yorkshire batsman was declared fit after a groin injury.

It is hoped Stokes will be able to resume bowling at Southport, although Durham have to wait for the all-clear from the ECB.

National selector James Whitaker said: “The England medical staff have been working closely with Mark and Durham throughout, and a series of 50-over matches with the Lions offers a good opportunity for him to take the next steps.

“He is a great example of a player who came through the Lions with an outstanding tour of South Africa in the winter of 2014-15 to make his Test debut last summer.

“His inclusion should give a boost to this Lions squad, as well as giving him the chance to work with the younger bowlers in the squad.”

Lancashire will be without Liam Livingstone, who is in a young Lions squad captained by Middlesex's Dawid Malan.

Wood could have come into Durham's four-day side for Barry McCarthy, who took four for 59 yesterday in the second of Ireland's five one-day internationals against Afghanistan.

Depending on how much Stokes can bowl, Durham might have the option simply to recall Paul Collingwood after his thumb injury.

Sunderland's Josh Coughlin was named yesterday in the England Under 19 squad for two four-day matches against Sri Lanka.

A two-day warm-up game against the Unicorns will be held at Loughborough on July 21-22 followed by the matches at Cambridge (July 26-29) and Northampton (Aug 3-6).

Coughlin, who will be 19 in September, is five years younger than his brother Paul, under whose captaincy he made his first-class debut for Durham against Sri Lanka A two weeks ago.

Paul said: “Josh seemed delighted that I was captain. It was a special moment for us both and for our mum, Wendy. She's down watching every minute when she's not at work. It's the same with most of our family.”

They are the third pair of brothers to represent Durham in first-class cricket after Andrew and Gary Pratt, from Crook, and Steve and Ben Harmison.