Essex seamer Jamie Porter, the County Championship player of the year, has withdrawn from the England Lions' tour of Australia after suffering a stress fracture of the lower back.

Porter propelled Essex to an unexpected title victory with 75 wickets at 16.82, netting twin awards from the Cricket Writers' Club and the Professional Cricketers' Association.

A trip to Australia, where the Lions will effectively shadow the Ashes squad during November and December, was seen as the next step in the 24-year-old's development but injury has struck at a frustrating time.

The stress fracture was spotted during profiling tests by the Lions and Porter will instead link up with the England and Wales Cricket Board's pace programme later this month to build fitness.

Worcestershire's Josh Tongue, who was originally included in that initiative, will step up to the Lions tour.

National selector James Whitaker told ecb.co.uk: "While it was initially surprising and disappointing for Jamie and for us to discover he has a stress fracture, we have agreed with him and with Essex that this new approach is the best option.

"Spending the first half of the winter on the pace programme will allow him to take a break from competitive cricket after two excellent and demanding seasons for Essex, allowing the injury to recover, and for a focus on his rehabilitation.

"We believe that will give him the best chance of being in peak condition for the competitive phase of the Lions winter programme, with four-day and one-day series in the West Indies early next year.

"It also creates a space on the Lions camp in Australia, which represents a wonderful opportunity for young Josh Tongue.

"He is another exciting young fast bowler who made a major contribution to Worcestershire's promotion campaign, and we believe he will benefit from the chance to work with the Lions and to spend some time in Australia in an Ashes winter."

The Lions travel to Brisbane on November 14, with the pace programme beginning in Loughborough on October 30.