STEPHEN Moore believes his Worcestershire team-mate Steven Davies can put himself in the frame for a full call-up during the England Performance Programme tour to India.

The New Road duo fly out to Mumbai on Friday for the three-week tour and the County opener is backing the Bromsgrove-born wicketkeeper to make England coach Peter Moores sit up and take note.

The 22-year-old gloveman is heading out on his second EPP tour and following his impressive Pro40 campaign, a competition where he was named the Professional Cricketers Association’s Most Valuable Player, Davies is putting pressure on Matt Prior and Tim Ambrose for a place in the England squad.

No wicketkeeper earned a central contract with the England and Wales Cricket Board when they were announced in the autumn which could leave the door open for Davies to gate-crash the party.

“Davo realises that he has really got to step up to the plate now,” Moore said. “He has had a couple of years to bed down in first-class cricket.

“He has been in and around this environment plenty of times now and I think he realises that this is his chance to put his foot in the door when keeping spots are talked about for England.“ Moore, who is heading on his first tour with any of the England set-ups, said that his Worcestershire colleague had helped him settle at their training base in Loughborough.

“His attitude has been really good to me,” Moore said. “I can’t speak for the others here, but when I worked with Davo we had a great time.

“He’s looking in good nick again hitting the ball beautifully and Bruce French, the wicketkeeping coach, says he has been keeping really well.”

Davies and Moore arrived at the National Cricket Performance Centre in Loughborough the same day their Worcestershire team-mates reported back for training.

The 28-year-old opener, however, is glad that he is with the England set-up even though it feels a little weird.

“It’s a nice weird because of the environment that I’m in,” Moore said. “It was a bit strange coming here the same day the Worcestershire boys went back to training.

“Some of the work I’m doing here has come from Worcester. I’m using Dave Lowe (the Worcestershire strength and conditioning coach) as well, so there is a little bit of cross-pollenation for me.

“But I’m not going to sit here and say that I would prefer to be back at Worcester training, this is by far my preference.”

The EPP squad fly out to Bangalore on Friday before starting a week-long training camp preparing themselves for a three-day match on Sunday, November 30.

Following that game the squad travel to Mumbai for a four-day match.