Flower has first Ashes Test team pencilled in

Andy Flower revealed he had already selected a likely England team for the first Ashes Test but insisted those not in it had plenty of time to change his mind.

There is still a month to go until England take to the field in Brisbane to begin their defence of the urn won last summer, but team director Flower has already turned his attention to the opening match of the series.

However, with three warm-up games to play prior to the November 25 curtain-raiser, Flower refused to rule out the prospect of people breaking into or dropping out of the side he had pencilled in.

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"We are fairly clear with what we want," said Flower, who will rotate his squad during the warm-up period but admitted he could not promise everyone a game.

"There is still flexibility for decisions based on confidence, form or any variety of conditions we'll come across."

If that was a message designed to keep his players on their toes, England fans will be hoping it resonates most with Kevin Pietersen.

The country's star batsman is in the midst of the biggest dip of his career, having failed to score a Test century since March 2009.

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He was also forced to apologise for an expletive-laden rant on Twitter upon being dropped from the one-day side, and his recent attempt to rediscover his form ahead of the Ashes appeared to fall flat when he made 36 and a second-ball duck in his two first-class innings for South African side Kwazulu Natal Dolphins.

Yet, Flower was unconcerned about the 30-year-old's travails. "He's very well; he enjoyed his trip to South Africa and he's in a very good state of mind ready for the tour.

"He didn't get many opportunities. Unfortunately, the way the games panned out, he only got one innings in each game.

"But he did some really good work with the Natal side and I think it would've stood him in good stead. He feels good about his cricket; he feels confident going into Australia."

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As well as a fit and firing Pietersen, England will need James Anderson at 100 per cent to give themselves the best possible chance of retaining the urn.

Seamer Anderson cracked a rib during the side's recent training camp in Germany but is already bowling again, and could even be involved in two of the three warm-up games Down Under.

"He's already bowling at 75 per cent, so he should be fine for the first Test," said Flower.

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