England Squad

[Jeff]

From the BBC


England name 25-man summer squad

England have announced a 25-man performance squad for the summer international season.

And new coach Peter Moores' influence seems to be apparent with Sussex's Matthew Prior named as one of two wicket-keepers, Paul Nixon the other.

The squad consists of 12 players on central contracts, plus nine from the World Cup squad along with Graham Onions, Owais Shah and Michael Yardy.

Marcus Trescothick and Simon Jones are included but Ashley Giles is not fit.

Last year a 30-man squad was named but this time the number has been reduced to 25 to allow for more flexibility.

Squad for this summer's international season: M Vaughan, J Anderson, I Bell, R Bopara, S Broad, P Collingwood, A Cook, J Dalrymple, A Flintoff, S Harmison, M Hoggard, S Jones, E Joyce, J Lewis, S Mahmood, P Nixon, G Onions, M Panesar, K Pietersen, L Plunkett, M Prior, O Shah, A Strauss, M Trescothick, M Yardy.

 

[Rhys]

Good to see Simon Jones back available. England certainly missed him all winter in Australia

 

[glyn]

Stunned that they have chosen Nixon and Prior. I'm a huge Nico fan but it doesn't seem to be very forward-looking and by choosing Prior, Moores puts himself up straight away for accusations of favouritism.

Then again Read has had his chance and has hardly proved himself to be Adam Gilchrist. He certainly wouldn't have performed in the pressure situations that Nico did.

And you have to win the tests in front of you as well as planning ahead.

 

[CM]

No surprise that Prior is in the squad, from Sussex or not, hes still been one of the best wicketkeeper/batsmen in the country over the past 5 years. I thought Foster might have been the other one but it looks like they don't rate him down at the ECB.

Nixon had a good world cup and a fantastic last season so I guess he does deserve it. It would be great to see him playing test cricket

 

[glyn]

Nixon had a good world cup and a fantastic last season so I guess he does deserve it. It would be great to see him playing test cricket

Should have been there 10 years ago!

 

[Scodger Cubs]

I hope Broad gets some games this summer. I can't be doing with that Anderson and Mahmood tosh again! Wider than Duncan Fletchers waist line !