No James Anderson as Lancashire and Thunder announce historic joint pre-season tour

Both sides will be based at the ICC Academy and play six matches between them ahead of the 2022 summer. Jos Buttler will also not travel on the tour after being dropped by England for the West Indies Tests

Lancashire and North West Thunder have announced the first joint men's and women's tour by a first-class county after unveiling plans to prepare for the new season in the United Arab Emirates.

The warm-weather training camp will be staged in Dubai and will include six matches.

It is the first overseas Lancashire have embarked on since the Covid-19 pandemic hit.

Neither James Anderson nor Jos Buttler will travel after being dropped for England men's Test series in the West Indies.

Saqib Mahmood and Matt Parkinson, who are both involved in the squad, are also missing but Liam Livingstone will feature after recently returning from the Pakistan Super League.

Former overseas player Joe Mennie, the Australian quick, will be among the squad after training with the squad during the off-season. New signing Phil Salt, part of the victorious Lahore Qalandars squad at the PSL, also travels.

Kate Cross, Sophie Ecclestone and Emma Lamb are absent due to their participation in the Women's World Cup with England, while Alex Hartley is also unavailable while on commentary duty for the tournament in New Zealand.

Laura Jackson and Phoebe Graham both signed professional contracts in the summer and will travel as part of the squad led by Ellie Threlkeld.

^{Teams will be based at the ICC Academy in Dubai (Gareth Copley/Getty Images)}

Both sides will face United Arab Emirates in back-to-back T20s on March 11 at The Sevens Stadium.

Glen Chapple's side then have a pair of two-day games against Loughborough and UAE.

The women, led by coach Paul Shaw, have five matches including two pairs of T20 matches against their hosts on March 12 and 14.

Lancashire fixtures:

Friday, March 11: United Arab Emirates (T20, The Sevens Stadium)

Tuesday, March 15: Loughborough (2-day friendly, ICC Academy)

Friday, March 18: United Arab Emirates (2-day friendly, ICC Academy)

Thunder fixtures:

Friday, March 11: United Arab Emirates (T20, The Sevens Stadium)

Saturday, March 12: United Arab Emirates  (T20 x2, ICC Academy)

Monday, March 14: United Arab Emirates (T20 x2, ICC Academy)