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New faces in England Test squad
21/04/2008 12:57 - (SA)
London - England have included three new players in their 26-man preliminary squad for this year's Test series against New Zealand and South Africa.
Hampshire opener Michael Carberry, Yorkshire leg-spinner Adil Rashid and Kent off-spinner James Tredwell were named to the England Performance Squad on Monday alongside the country's 12 centrally contracted cricketers and another 11 players.
"The selectors can name up to 30 players in the EPS, but we have decided to keep four places vacant at present in order to give ourselves greater flexibility," national selector Geoff Miller said. "We will reserve the right to add further players to the squad if their performances in domestic cricket merit it."
All 26 players are unlikely to feature in the three tests against New Zealand and four against South Africa. However, they have an incentive to perform well for their counties and in training since the England and Wales Cricket board can award temporary central contracts during the middle of the season.
Their inclusion in the performance squad is designed to help prepare them for possible elevation to the national side.
Kent opener Robert Key was also recalled to the squad more than three years after his last test, and almost four years after smashing 221 against West Indies for his only Test century.
The first Test against New Zealand starts on May 15 at Lord's while the first Test against South Africa starts on July 10.
England Performance Squad (x-denotes centrally contracted player):
Tim Ambrose, x-James Anderson, x-Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Stuart Broad, Michael Carberry, x-Paul Collingwood, x-Alastair Cook, x-Andrew Flintoff, x-Stephen Harmison, x-Matthew Hoggard, Robert Key, Dimitri Mascarenhas, Philip Mustard, x-Monty Panesar, x-Kevin Pietersen, Matthew Prior, Adil Rashid, Owais Shah, x-Andrew Strauss, x-Ryan Sidebottom, Graeme Swann, James Tredwell, Chris Tremlett, x-Michael Vaughan, Luke Wright.
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