England have won the first Ashes battle of the summer after they picked up sought-after Sydney-born batsman Sam Robson in a Lions Development squad.
According to news.com.au, Robson, whose mother was born in Nottingham, has been caught in a tug-of-war battle between the rival nations for his services after plundering runs in the County Championship.
It is Robson's first call-up to a national squad, having only qualified for England in August after playing county cricket for Middlesex since 2009, the report said.
The 24-year-old is the second-highest run-scorer in Division One of the County Championship, scoring 1180 runs at an average of 47.2, the report added.
His eye-catching form this year, coupled with Australia's far-from-settled Test batting lineup, prompted calls to try and woo the former Australia and NSW under-19s player back home, the report further said.
