THREE Somerset County Cricket Club players have been named in the MCC squad for the Champion County Match against Surrey next month.

Tom Abell, Dom Bess and Peter Trego have received the MCC (Marylebone Cricket Club) call-up, and are due to play at the ICC Global Cricket Academy Ground in Dubai from Sunday, March 24.

The four-day First Class match is the traditional curtain-raiser to the English county cricket season, with the Specsavers County Championship returning on Friday, April 5.

This is a second Champion County Match for spin bowler Bess, who put in a sensational performance last season – scoring 107 off 106 balls from number nine and taking eight wickets in the match (including a second-innings 6-51).

Trego played for MCC against Warwickshire in the Champion County Match of 2013, but this is a first experience of the fixture for Somerset club captain Abell.

Somerset head coach Jason Kerr told the club website: “I’m delighted for all three of them.

“It’s a great opportunity for them and it gives them the chance to get another really competitive game under their belts before the first Championship match of the season.

“Surrey will be strong again this year and the conditions will be great.

"This will only help to get the players involved up to that all important match-sharpness.

“Pre-season is about building confidence and the guys having time in the middle.

"This game will give the players the opportunity to build their confidence and help to ensure that they are ready to go when we get to that first game.”

MCC squad
Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire, captain); Tom Abell (Somerset); Dominic Sibley (Warwickshire); Tom Westley (Essex); Dan Lawrence (Essex); Will Rhodes (Warwickshire); Peter Trego (Somerset); Ben Cox (Worcestershire, wicketkeeper); Dom Bess (Somerset); Stephen Parry (Lancashire); Sam Cook (Essex)