Ian Bell's hopes of returning to the England Test squad have been boosted after he was named in the Lions team to play against the West Indies next week.

The Warwickshire batsman, 27, was dropped during the winter tour of the Caribbean but has responded with two centuries in two games for his county.

Selector Geoff Miller said: "The Lions matches are excellent opportunities for players to push for England places."

Kent's Rob Key will skipper the side, which includes seven internationals.

Warwickshire wicketkeeper Tim Ambrose, who toured the West Indies with England this winter, Lancashire seamer Sajid Mahmood, Durham's Liam Plunkett, Warwickshire batsman Jonathan Trott and Sussex all-rounder Luke Wright will all play in the four-day game against the tourists which starts on Thursday morning at Derby.

Nottinghamshire all-rounder Samit Patel, who was dropped for England's one-day series in the West Indies for "failing to reach acceptable standards of fitness for international cricket" is also in after scoring 95 against Worcestershire.

But it is the naming of Bell that stands out.

606: DEBATE What do you make of the decision to put Bell in the Lions team? BBC Sport's Peter Scrivener

He scored the first century of the County Championship season at Taunton and hit 25 boundaries before being dismissed for 172.

The 27-year-old followed that with a measured 108 from 123 balls in Warwickshire's one-day game against Somerset.

And he will no doubt hope that he can use the Lions as a stepping stone to being included in the Test squad which is expected to be announced next week.

Kent captain Key, who is in the running to become England's captain for the ICC World Twenty20, will lead the Lions again, as he did last summer and during the winter on their tour of New Zealand.

"Key captained outstandingly well in New Zealand and then took the reins in similar fashion for the MCC in the champion county match, so he will continue to lead for the match against West Indies," said Miller.

"The Lions squads feature players who display qualities that are capable of winning matches for England, so these games are very important."

England Lions team: Rob Key (Kent, capt), Tim Ambrose (Warwickshire, wkt), Ian Bell (Warwickshire), Sajid Mahmood (Lancashire), Stephen Moore (Worcestershire), Samit Patel (Nottinghamsire), Liam Plunkett (Durham), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Jonathan Trott (Warwickshire), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire), Luke Wright (Sussex).

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