WORCESTERSHIRE batsman Joe Clarke has a chance to press his England claims after his inclusion in the Lions squad to face South Africa in a three-day match at New Road starting tomorrow (11am).

Clarke hit two centuries last week against Kent in County Championship Division Two and made an important 45 in difficult conditions at Durham facing a pink Duke ball.

It was enough to seal a Lions recall for the 22-year-old against a Proteas side in their final warm-up match before the first Test against England at Lord’s next Thursday.

Clarke admits the first two months of the summer had been a frustrating experience until last week.

“It has just been frustrating,” said Clarke.

“I’d already stepped up the amount of work in the nets and practice.

“Big scores seem so far away when you haven’t had one for a while.

“You have to just trust in your game and your skills.

“I didn’t really know when a big score was going to happen.

“I had felt in good nick all year but would get to 20 and 30 and get out.

“I’m glad it happened last week against Kent and I can go on from there and just go for as many (hundreds) as I can.”

Clarke’s return to form was timely after not being selected for the early Lions games this summer.

He said: “I haven’t been scoring the runs they would like me to so of course it always comes as a disappointment.

“I guess it makes you hungrier to get picked next time. I always think about the Lions but I don’t want to think too far ahead.”

Clarke would like to emulate another Worcestershire batsman who scored a hundred for the Lions against tourists at New Road eight years ago.

Stephen Moore hit 120 in a drawn game against Australia in 2009 when County team-mates Steven Davies and Vikram Solanki also featured.

Dean Elgar will captain South Africa in the absence of Faf du Plessis who is awaiting the birth of his first child.

The majority of the squad have been in action with either limited-overs squads or South Africa A.

“We have to compete against a very good England Lions side,” said Elgar.

“To get that competitive edge will be a big thing for us.

“Naturally the guys will have that instinct in them so we have an important three days weather permitting.

“We have to crack on and hit the ground running.

“In my opinion the series starts tomorrow. It’s going to be vital for us to have three good days of cricket.”

Elgar says the opportunity to possibly captain the team is a ‘dream come true’ as he continues to establish himself as one of the senior leaders in the Test squad.

The squad have won the last four consecutive series against New Zealand (home and away), Australia and Sri Lanka respectively.

Lions: Jennings (Durham), Robson (Middlesex), Westley (Essex), Ballance (Yorkshire), Livingstone (Lancashire), Clarke (Worcestershire), Billings (Kent), Overton (Somerset), Helm (Middlesex), Garton (Sussex), Mahmood (Lancashire), Crane (Hampshire).

South Africa Test squad: du Plessis, Amla, Bavuma, de Bruyn, de Kock, Duminy, Elgar, Kuhn, Maharaj, Markram, Morkel, Morris, Olivier, Phehlukwayo, Philander, Rabada.