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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 today.
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 as England claimed the one-day tri-series.
"My personal wish is that Michael Vaughan gets off the plane in St Vincent leading England," Graveney said today.
"Lets not get away from being honest about the winter. I will go and see Andrew Flintoff about his views about the captaincy.
"Andrew Flintoff deputised for Michael Vaughan during the winter but there is a process that has to be adhered to. We will sit down, have a conversation about the whole of the winter not just the last four games."
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.
If Flintoff was overlooked as stand-in captain, Andrew Strauss would seem next in line after impressing as skipper in the home tests against Pakistan last year.
But Strauss had a dreadful tour of Australia and during the tri series he was relegated down the batting order from opener to number four.
Tall paceman Stuart Broad, who will be on the England A tour to Bangladesh, 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, whose top score was 45 during the tri-series, although Graveney cited the balance of the squad for his omission.
"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," Graveney 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 having thought his injury nightmare was over.
England 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 Mahmood.
- REUTERS