WORCESTERSHIRE'S pace duo of Josh Tongue and Adam Finch have been selected by England under 19s for the series against India.

Academy product Tongue has initially been chosen for the first Test at Queen's Park, Chesterfield, from July 23 until 26.

It is reward for an outstanding start to the 19-year-old's first season of senior cricket with 30 County Championship wickets at an average of 24.27.

Tongue was one of six County players picked for last summer's under 19s test against Sri Lanka but got injured in a warm-up match before the first Test at Fenners.

Current academy player Finch, 17, has been called up for the five-match one-day international series as well as a warm-up match for an invitational XI against India at Loughborough beforehand.

The Oldswinford Hospital School pupil from Himley Cricket Club has made big strides during the past two years and is part of the 50-over squad with the chance of working towards the Under 19 World Cup in New Zealand next January.

Academy coach Elliot Wilson said: "Josh's call-up for the first Test is reward for how well he has done over the last 18 months and in the last six months coming back from his (back) injury.

"He missed out on the opportunity to represent England under 19s last year and we are all keen to give him that experience of playing international cricket at under 19s.

"You never want to get in the way of anyone representing their country. It falls in a window when we've got a T20 block of cricket so it doesn't take him out of any Championship matches if he was selected.

"It is really pleasing for Josh to get that opportunity, having missed out last year when he was likely to have played."

Wilson continued: "Adam has been selected for the ECB Invitational XI against India as part of their preparation for the Test Series and also for the five ODIs where he will compete with 14 to 15 other players.

"He has made some fantastic strides. We had a group of guys this winter who were able to get down to Malvern College three or four times a week and from the start of the winter we could see the strides he was going to make.

"He has had a rapid progression over the last two years.

"We were really pleased with his progress and he is of the right age profile for this squad. England are looking to work with a group leading up to the Under 19 World Cup.

"If we mapped this journey out some people would be amazed at the way things have moved forward for him so I have to constantly remind ourselves of how raw this guy still is.

"He is exciting, bright, intelligent and working the game out but is still incredibly raw and in terms of this level of cricket it will be very new for him."