WORCESTERSHIRE assistant coach Matt Mason says Ross Whiteley has been encouraged by England to develop his off-spin and bolster his chances of becoming part of their T20 squad.

The 27-year-old already has a growing reputation for his fearsome hitting in NatWest T20 Blast cricket and smashed 29 sixes for Worcestershire Rapids last summer.

But England have also recognised his off-spinner potential and he worked on that facet of his game in a development programme in the UAE, ahead of England Lions’ five-match T20 series with Pakistan A.

Whiteley scored 22 and County team-mate Joe Clarke 16 as Lions lost the first match by seven wickets. The teams play again today.

Mason said: “I know a lot of people have said that the spot Ross should target is Sam Billings, because of the fact Ross is a ‘gun fielder’, but Sam has obviously done very well in these last couple of games with wicketkeeping.

“There are all sorts of spots that Ross could take. He has changed his approach. He is now looking to develop his off-spin.

“He has played around with off-spin in the past in the nets. England have suggested this might be a good thing for him to try to give him another string to his bow.

“You think of guys like Colin Miller (Australian Test player) in the past, who was able to bowl seam and spin.

“It makes him (Whiteley) very selectable because his big hitting is known and if you can get him into that middle order as another spin option, a bit like a Michael Yardy type, that’s great.

“He has done it a bit in the nets here. We’ve dabbled with it. Certainly, the England coaches have seen there is something there, which is a great way for him to get into the side.

“In David Willey and Reece Topley, they’ve already got left-arm seamers covered.

“I think they are keen to get Ross in there because his big hitting is as good as anyone you would see and he is a gun fielder, so he has got a third string to his bow, which makes him very selectable.

“He’d be silly not to at least heed their advice and give it a go and from what I understand it is going quite well.”

Mason says Whiteley’s development in the spin department would also be beneficial to the County as well.