By Jamie Lillywhite

Yardy has been a key figure for Sussex in four and one-day cricket

Nearly all young English cricketers have the ambition of being picked for their country and playing in a major final at Lord's.

But it is rare indeed to find a player for whom both dreams come true in the same week.

Sussex all-rounder Michael Yardy will, however, step out at the home of cricket for the C&G Trophy final just three days after learning of his call-up to the England squad for the NatWest Series against Pakistan.

"It doesn't get much better than this," he told BBC Sport.

"I found out from Mark Robinson, our coach, who had just spoken to (chairman of selectors) David Graveney. I didn't think he was joking, but the way he said it to me I wasn't quite sure - but it's brilliant."

We're keen to look at Michael Yardy as an option with both the bat and the ball Selector David Graveney

Yardy has impressed this summer with some consistent displays in one-day cricket, scoring two half centuries and claiming eight wickets during Sussex's run to Lord's.

"At Sussex we've got 11 guys who have a key role, there's no-one who you think if they have a bad day we'll struggle. Although we haven't got the stars we are all able to adjust.

"We're a very tight unit, we've got 18 on the staff and everyone gets on really well, there are no cliques, everyone works together," he said.

Although batting is his stronger suit, it is Yardy's ability to bowl tidy left-arm spin which influenced the selectors to pick him for the series against Pakistan.

The two left-armers ahead of him in the pecking order, Ashley Giles and Ian Blackwell, have both had serious injury problems this summer, so Yardy joins off-spinner Jamie Dalrymple in the squad.

YARDY'S RECORD First-class 4,065 runs, average 38.34, highest score 257, 15 wickets, best figures 5-83 One-day 1,499 runs, average 20.25, highest score 98no, 55 wickets, best figures 6-27 Twenty20 253 runs, average 31.62, highest score 68no, 6 wickets, best figures 2-15

"I was massively chuffed to get in the (provisional) 30. To be seen as a possible England player was a great moment, then to be picked in a real squad with all those big players in there was a dream come true.

"I hope to get a game and feel the atmosphere of being in an England squad.

"If I am lucky enough to play I'll just try to take the pressure off myself and give it everything I've got."

If Yardy can prove himself at a higher level, there is the prospect of trips to the ICC Champions Trophy in India, the VB Series in Australia and World Cup in the West Indies to aim for over the winter.

And he is confident enough to back his own ability in whatever role the England management team assign him.

"I'm trying not to look too far ahead but you can't help but notice what is coming up," he said.

"I'm not a Freddie Flintoff who can pan it out of the park, but I've got ways of hitting boundaries and working the ball to score at a decent rate.