Sport | Cricket
A gamble to meet the deadline
The England World Cup squad that lands in the West Indies next month could look very different from the one announced by chairman of selectors David Graveney yesterday.
- Reuters
- Published: 23:36 May 3, 2009
- David Graveney, Chairman of selectors for the England cricket team, speaks during the news conference.
- Image Credit: AP
London: The England World Cup squad that lands in the West Indies next month could look very different from the one announced by chairman of selectors David Graveney yesterday.
The selectors decided it was worth the risk of naming captain Michael Vaughan and seamers Jon Lewis and James Anderson despite hamstring, ankle and back injuries, respectively.
The main reason for the gamble is that they believe the potential replacements are not experienced or good enough to give England a realistic chance of mounting a challenge in March and April.
Such an assessment could even include the captaincy abilities of Andrew Flintoff, who stood in for Vaughan during the woeful 5-0 Ashes Test drubbing in Australia before redeeming himself slightly as England claimed the one-day tri-series.
England clinched the tri-series with four-wicket and 34-run wins over Australia in the finals, but Vaughan's sheer presence as captain had been shown earlier in the series when he returned for England after a year out with knee trouble and gave them an immediate lift.
His fitness did not last, however, and a hamstring injury forced him out, sparking new fears that his career was in the balance.
Tall paceman Stuart Broad, who will be on the England A tour to Bangla-desh, is one possible late call-up if Anderson or Lewis do not pull through.
"The majority (of possible replacements) will be drawn from the A team. Stuart Broad is very close. He was very much in the frame," Graveney said.
All rounder Ravi Bopara was the surprise inclusion in the World Cup squad after only a single one-day appearance.
The 21-year-old, who scored an unbeaten seven in his appearance last month, got the nod ahead of batsman Mal Loye.
"He (Loye) hasn't done anything wrong, we feel we need a balance in the squad and to have two spare batsmen is top-heavy," Grav-eney said.
"Often someone comes up on the outside lane just before a tournament. Ravi is a big-match player. He epitomises the young players we have in this country."
Loye, 34, may get his chance, however, if Vaughan fails to prove his fitness, just as he did when the 32-year-old captain pulled out of the tri-series.
The squad: Michael Vaughan (captain), Ed Joyce, Ravi Bopara, Ian Bell, Andrew Strauss, Kevin Pietersen, Paul Collingwood, Andrew Flintoff, Paul Nixon (wicketkeeper), Jamie Dalrymple, Monty Panesar, Jon Lewis, James Anderson, Liam Plunkett, Sajid Mahmoud.
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