Tremlett, Panesar earn Ashes recalls
The England selectors on Thursday named a 16-man tour party under the captaincy of Andrew Strauss for the forthcoming Ashes Test Series in Australia with Surrey pace bowler Chris Tremlett and Sussex left-arm spinner Monty Panesar bein recalled to the squad.
Tremlett, who won the last of his three Test caps against India in 2007, is recalled to the England set up for the first time since the tour of New Zealandin 2008. While Panesar wins a place in the tour party after a successful domestic season which saw him take 52 First-Class wickets for his new county.
Surrey's Steven Davies has been named as England's second wicketkeeper behind Sussex's Matthew Prior and is the only member of the squad uncapped at Test level.
The Selectors on Thursday also named eleven players to be awarded 12-month England central contracts with Jonathan Trott and pace bowler Steven Finn each winning a central contract for the first time. A further five players have been awarded incremental contracts.
Thursday's announcement also included the naming of the 16-man England Performance Programme (EPP) squad which will be based in Australia in the lead up to the first Ashes Test in Brisbane through until the start of the third Test in Perth. Michael Carberry, Craig Kieswetter, Ajmal Shahzad and James Tredwell, who have all represented the senior England side over the past 12 months, are among those included.
Commenting on the selections, ECB National Selector, Geoff Miller, said: "We believe we've selected an outstanding Test squad for what will be a fiercely contested Ashes series in Australia. In order to retain the Ashes we will need to play to a very high level and we believe we've selected a squad to do just that.
"Clearly there are always difficult decisions to make when selecting an England squad and this Ashes squad was no different. We feel that Chris Tremlett's inclusion will add a real threat of pace and bounce to our bowling attack given the conditions in Australia. Chris will be vying for a place in the final team amongst a confident attack including James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Tim Bresnan and Steven Finn.
"We feel that following an excellent season with Sussex Monty Panesar deserves his opportunity to assume the role as England's second spinner behind Graeme Swann. Monty has gone away and worked on his bowling since his last England appearance and he continues to be an attacking threat with the ball in his hand. In terms of the second wicketkeeper's role behind Matt Prior, Steven Davies has shown what he is capable of with Surrey and England this year, his glovework and batting have continued to reach new levels."
England captain, Andrew Strauss, said: "To captain England in an Ashes series Down Under is a huge honour and something I am looking forward to with enormous anticipation. We realise the challenge ahead of us in Australia but it is a test we welcome and look forward to meeting head on."
Ashes Test squad: Andrew Strauss (captain), Alastair Cook (vice-captain), James Anderson, Ian Bell, Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Paul Collingwood, Steven Davies (wicketkeeper), Steven Finn, Eoin Morgan, Monty Panesar,Kevin Pietersen, Matt Prior (wicketkeeper), Graeme Swann, Chris Tremlett, Jonathan Trott.