Yorkshire's Gary Ballance recalled to England squad for Ashes tour of Australia

Yorkshire captain Gary Ballance has been recalled to the England squad

YORKSHIRE captain Gary Ballance has seen his form with the bat for his county rewarded after being included in England's Test squad for this winter's Ashes tour.

He joins Yorkshire team-mates Joe Root, the England captain and Jonny Bairstow in the squad.

Surrey wicketkeeper Ben Foakes, 24, has been included for the first time as well as 23-year-old Somerset fast bowler Craig Overton.A third uncapped player, 20-year-old Hampshire leg-spinner Mason Crane, is selected as one of two specialist spinners alongside Moeen Ali.Batsman James Vince and Ballance are recalled despite their stuttering performances in England's fragile middle order.Hampshire's Vince returns to the squad for the first time since last August and Ballance is back after suffering a fractured finger in the second Test against South Africa in July.There are no places for batsmen Tom Westley and Alex Hales and bowlers Mark Wood and Toby Roland-Jones.England's 16-man squad for the Ashes series in Australia: Joe Root, captain (Yorkshire), Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), James Anderson (Lancashire), Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire), Jake Ball (Nottinghamshire), Gary Ballance (Yorkshire), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Alastair Cook (Essex), Mason Crane (Hampshire), Ben Foakes (Surrey), Dawid Malan (Middlesex), Craig Overton (Somerset), Ben Stokes (Durham), Mark Stoneman (Surrey), James Vince (Hampshire), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire)