In the last week, 18 hopefuls have tried to stake their claim for an England place with the England Lions, but who impressed and who slipped under the radar?

The batsmen

The first Lions match against South Africa provided little in the way of batting inspiration for the England selectors. Aside from half-centurion Rob Key, not one player passed 30 as the Lions slumped to a crushing defeat. Fortunately, the second squad fared much better, cantering home with six wickets in hand and eight overs to spare.

The unbeaten fifth-wicket stand was particularly impressive with ex-Ireland international Eoin Morgan and Nottinghamshire’s Samit Patel putting on 113 to steer the Lions from a wobbling 97-4 to a comprehensive victory. With an ODI side to whom the words ''middle order'' and ''collapse'' are all too familiar, the selectors would be wise to take a good look at these two, both capable of steadying a chase and carrying a side through to victory.

The search for a strong opening partnership has made little headway from the Lions matches. The plan to have a wicketkeeper who can open an innings seemed to have been scrapped, but after a poor showing from Joe Denly and Owais Shah in the first match, Matt Prior and Jonathan Trott opened the innings for the Lions in the second. Neither managed to bat through the innings, losing their wickets first and second, although Prior did manage a useful 33 runs, an improvement on his single run in his first outing.

Promising lower-order prospect Dimitri Mascarenhas was denied the chance to show his worth to the England selectors with the bat, but the wickets of Graeme Smith and Jacques Kallis meant his bowling allowed him a second chance to catch their eye.

If England’s batsmen fail to deliver in the coming series, the Lions games have shown that there is enough talent pushing for a place to see at least a few of them receiving their marching orders.

The bowlers

England’s one-Test wonder Darren Pattinson failed to justify his selection, going for almost nine an over, the most expensive bowler of either match, but several others managed impressive performances. Samit Patel’s stellar display with the bat was reinforced by his four overs going for just nine runs, whilst Mascarenhas’s two wickets came for just 26 runs and Trott’s for only 17. Aside from Pattinson, the biggest disappointment for the Lions was Chris Tremlett, whose five wicketless overs were smashed for 31 runs.

England’s main seam bowlers seem to be coming into their own as a unit, but the spinner’s position is less secure and Patel’s skills with the bat may see him preferred over the specialist spinners. Mascarenhas, meanwhile, has bowled more economically than any of his peers, but with so many batsmen suited to a lower middle order spot it seems unlikely that England will want to take on another. Should Luke Wright fail to make the grade, however, Mascarenhas is a more than capable replacement.

The wicketkeeper

A one and a 33 doesn’t provide much in the way of support for Matt Prior’s recall, but formless Tim Ambrose’s replacement of Phil Mustard seems a move to eventually justify his return. Never mind the dropped catches, anything’s better than dropped catches AND a batting average of two. Prior will surely return to the England side this year, but his Lions performance doesn’t give much justification for it.

Overall

The first Lions squad did little to stir the imagination but the second threw up a few interesting prospects for the senior side. Young batsmen Patel and Morgan seem an excellent back-up plan should England’s search for a strong middle order fail once again but the bowlers much fancied to step into the senior side have disappointed. It seems that it’s the previously unconsidered prospects, rather than those who have spent years on the fringes, that are the way forward for England.