JOE Clarke will pack in a possible 24 days cricket into a 45-day period for England Lions, The North and MCC ahead of the new domestic season with Worcestershire.

The County's leading run-scorer in 2016 will split his time between Sri Lanka and the UAE before rejoining his New Road team-mates at the start of April.

The schedule will involve one three day match, three four day games, eight one-day encounters and a T20 tournament.

It is a programme which should help Clarke to be well prepared for the start of the 2017 campaign - particularly with the accent on 50 over cricket for much of the early season programme via the Royal London One-Day Cup.

Clarke flies out next week to Sri Lanka with the Lions who will take part in a three-day warm-up game before the two four-day clashes and five ODIs against Sri Lanka 'A' with the series ending on March 11.

The 20-year-old will relocate in Dubai and then Abu Dhabi for the trio of North versus South fixtures before staying in the latter venue for the MCC's four-team T20 tournament and the clash with the Champion County.

Clarke will then head back to New Road with the County having the three-day against Leeds-Bradford MCCU at Weetwood on April 7 to 9 before the opening Specsavers County Championship match with Glamorgan at the SWALEC Stadium on April 14.