YORKSHIRE'S 21-year-old off-spinner Richard Dawson is the shock selection for England's tours of India and New Zealand this winter.

And six other Yorkshire players were named today in the various England parties that are going abroad over the next few months.

Michael Vaughan, Matthew Hoggard, Craig White and Dawson are all in the Test match squads, Ryan Sidebottom, White and Hoggard are part of the one-day squad for Zimbabwe, and Matthew Wood and Steven Kirby are both among the 16 youngsters, mainly under 23 years of age, who will join the first National Academy class in Adelaide either side of Christmas.

Doncaster-born Dawson, who attended Batley Grammar School, and graduated this summer from Exeter University with a degree in Exercise and Sports Science, learned his cricket with Doncaster Town and joined Bradford League club Undercliffe last season.

He has enjoyed a meteoric rise since winning his Yorkshire first team place this season and has captured 28 wickets in seven Championship appearances at an average of 29.10 runs apiece.

Dawson was still in his hotel run in Birmingham this morning preparing for the long trip to Kent for tomorrow's Norwich Union League match when he first heard the news.

"I am absolutely thrilled and astounded by it all," he said. "It has come as a very big surprise.

"I just wasn't expecting anything at the start of this season and my main aim was simply to try to play in ten Championship games for Yorkshire but things began badly when I broke my finger while substituting in the first match.

"But I have done well since I came into the side and those six wickets at Scarborough last week were probably the clincher."

Both Wood and Kirby reacted with surprise and delight to learn that they are going to the Academy which will be run by former Aussie star Rodney Marsh.

Huddersfield-born Wood, 24, has had a magnificent season, scoring 974 Championship runs and is poised to break the 1,000 barrier for the first time, and Kirby has been a sensation since being signed in mid-season from Leicestershire, grabbing 43 wickets at 17.60 runs apiece in a fiery stile which is all his own.

Wood said: "It is stunning news and I am glad I came down to breakfast to hear it!

"I thought I may be slightly too old to make it for the Academy but the fact that I am going shows that I am well thought of and it puts me on the threshold of an international career.

"At the start of this season, I was trying to resurrect my career with Yorkshire and now I am going abroad with the England Academy. It is quiet unbelievable."

Yorkshire skipper David Byas said: "I couldn't be more pleased for the whole lot of them. They thoroughly deserve it the way they have played for Yorkshire this season.

Darren Gough told England he would not go to India and has, therefore, not been included in the New Zealand leg of the trip.

Apart from Dawson, the other uncapped player in the squad is Essex wicketkeeper James Foster who will contest the place behind the stumps with Lancashire's Warren Hegg.

Former Yorkshire player Paul Grayson is included in the one-day squad to go to Zimbabwe in October.

Ripon-born Grayson is a former York and District Senior Cricket League player with Bedale.

Updated: 14:16 Tuesday, August 28, 2001