Yorkshire quartet in England's T20 squad

YORKSHIRE'S Ajmal Shahzad and David Wainwright have been named in England's provisional 30-man squad for this year's ICC World Twenty20 in the West Indies.

Left-arm spinner Wainwright is one of five uncapped players named in the squad, along with

Middlesex pace bowler Steven Finn, Hampshire batsman Michael Lumb 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.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Yorkshire pace bowler Shahzad - who is currently on tour with the England team in Bangladesh - has also been named in the team, as have more established White Rose players Tim Bresnan and Adil Rashid.

There is no place for Cook who is currently leading that 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.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

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.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

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.