Delray Rawlins, the Sussex all-rounder, has been busy sharpening his spin bowling skills in the nets with the England Lions in Brisbane, Australia, this week.

The Bermudian, who bowls slow left arm, is taking part in a weeklong spin bowling training exercise and is working with the likes of Peter Such, the England and Wales Cricket Board spin bowling coach, Stuart MacGill, the former Australia leg spinner, as well as Surrey’s Amar Virdi and the Somerset pair of Jack Leach and Dom Bess — the three specialist spinners selected for the Lions’ four-week training camp in Australia.

Rawlins is among a trio of promising spinners who have all been playing in the New South Wales Premier League and training with the New South Wales State squad for the past month as part of the Overseas Placements section of the ECB’s International Pathways scheme that also includes leg spinners Matthew Parkinson of Lancashire and Derbyshire’s Matt Critchley.

“We have recognised spin bowling as a priority area, and this is tangible evidence of our commitment to do all we can on our Pathway programmes during the winter,” Such said.

“The way Mason Crane seized the opportunity we provided for him in Sydney last winter has been well-documented, to such an extent that he made his senior England debut in the summer, and is now on the Ashes tour.

“Having the Lions in Brisbane means we can offer further opportunities, experience and support to more of our promising spinners this winter, by bringing Matt Parkinson, Matt Critchley, Delray Rawlins and Stuart MacGill up from Sydney.”

Rawlins, who made four appearances for Sussex in the Specsavers County Championship Second Division last season and helped the club win the Second XI Twenty20 tournament, is one of eight players awarded an Overseas Placement by the ECB.

“The Overseas Placements are designed to give some of our most talented young cricketers — not only spinners, because we also have Ollie Pope in Sydney, and Max Holden and George Bartlett in Perth — the chance to develop their independence on and off the field; to play some tough cricket; and to give them access to a network of quality people who can enhance their skills and knowledge,” Such added.