England name provisional World T20 squad

Pa,David Clough
Monday 01 March 2010 06:47 EST
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Five uncapped players stand a chance of playing for England in this year's ICC World Twenty20 in the West Indies, after being picked in a provisional 30-man squad this morning.

Middlesex pace bowler Steven Finn, Hampshire batsman Michael Lumb, Yorkshire slow left-armer David Wainwright and seamers Peter Trego (Somerset) and Chris Woakes (Warwickshire) join 25 more established names in a party also notable for the perhaps predictable absence of Alastair Cook.

There is no place for the man currently leading England's 50-over team in Bangladesh, among a squad which will be captained by Paul Collingwood.

The uncapped quintet, meanwhile, will learn before the end of this month whether they have made the cut in the final 15 to travel to the Caribbean for a tournament which begins on April 30.

National selector Geoff Miller believes there is strong competition for places as England continue their search for a first victory in an ICC multi-team event.

He said: "We have a number of young players knocking on the door, which underlines the depth in talent currently available - and I know all concerned will be hoping they make the final squad for what is a highly anticipated tournament.

"The upcoming ICC World Twenty20 is an exciting tournament, and we have selected an exciting crop of players in this provisional squad.

"All players named have shown their ability in the shortest form of the game, and the selectors have some difficult decisions to make when reducing the squad to 15 players."

Lumb put himself in the reckoning with a match-winning, unbeaten half-century as England Lions snatched an unexpected Twenty20 victory against their seniors in Abu Dhabi this month.

Wainwright has also put in some eye-catching performances in recent times for the Lions and Performance Squad teams - and in the continued absence of injured all-rounder Andrew Flintoff, there is a window of opportunity for the other three new names as an extra pace option.

James Anderson, currently sitting out England's tour of Bangladesh to aid his recovery from a knee injury, is in a squad which contains few surprises.

Predictably, the batting prowess of Craig Kieswetter means he is named in the side - one of two wicketkeeping options alongside Matt Prior.

The surprises may come by March 30, when the selectors have to halve the numbers.

Asked about Cook's omission, Miller made England's reasoning palpably clear.

"The message is that originally we said we didn't think Alastair was a Twenty20 player - and we still stick by that," he said.

"He has to prove us wrong. He's played very well out here (in Bangladesh) - and if he can carry his career into that area then we'll reassess.

"But at the moment we don't see him as a Twenty20 player, and that's why he's not in."

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