TWO Oxfordshire players have been included in the National Counties XI set to represent England at the Dream 11 European Cricket Championship next month.

Former Sussex batter and left-arm spinner Tom Hinley, plus batter Harrison Ward, have both been named in Berkshire coach Tom Lambert’s squad.

Ward is one of only three survivors from last year’s European Championship squad which finished as runners-up to the Netherlands.

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National Counties will head back to the Cartama Oval near Malaga for four matches in Group E.

The campaign kicks off with ties against Switzerland and Malta on October 9, and then Cyprus and Romania the following day.

There will be 30 countries competing in the 10 overs a side tournament, with only defending champions Netherlands guaranteed a place in the Championship Week, which starts on October 16 and culminates in the final on October 20.

The Netherlands will be joined by the six group winners for the Championship Week.

National Counties won the European Championship two years ago.

Dan Lincoln, who led Berkshire to a fourth successive National Counties Trophy title last month, has been captain for the last two years and will again skipper the side in Spain next month.

New faces to the squad include Buckinghamshire’s Conner Haddow, Wales NC’s Cameron Hemp and Cumbria pair Freddie Fallows and Matt Siddall.

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