England announces the T20 World Cup squad by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Player:	PD Collingwood, GR Napier
Event:	ICC World Twenty20 2009

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DateLine: 1st May 2009

 

All-rounder Paul Collingwood will captain hosts England in the ICC World Twenty20 tournament in June. The 15-strong squad includes uncapped Graham Napier and Eoin Morgan and there are recalls for Kent skipper Rob Key and Essex keeper James Foster. Andrew Flintoff has been named subject to him regaining full fitness following surgery on his right knee.

 

Among those left out after being named in the provisional 30-man squad are fast bowler Steve Harmison, who was dropped from the Test squad earlier this week, all-rounder Samit Patel and keepers Matt Prior and Steve Davies. England were forced to look for a captain after the selectors decided last month that Andrew Strauss should concentrate on Test and 50-over cricket.

 

And with Kevin Pietersen apparently unwilling to take on the job and Flintoff injured, Collingwood became the clear favourite once he declared a willingness to give the job another go. By recalling Foster seven years after he last represented England, the selectors have acknowledged that he is rated the best gloveman by many on the county circuit. In picking Key, Napier and Morgan - the latter having played 23 one-day internationals for Ireland - they have opted for players who have an excellent Twenty20 record at domestic level, although that policy did not pay off two years ago when Darren Maddy, Chris Schofield and James Kirtley were chosen for the inaugural tournament.

 

England will face the Netherlands in the opening match of the tournament at Lord's on 5 June and then go on to meet Pakistan at The Oval two days later. They will hope to progress to the Super 8s phase, as they did in South Africa two years ago, but have a poor Twenty20 record overall with only six wins in 15 matches.

 

England squad : P Collingwood (capt), J Anderson, R Bopara, S Broad, A Flintoff, J Foster (wkt), R Key, D Mascarenhas, E Morgan, G Napier, K Pietersen, O Shah, R Sidebottom, G Swann, L Wright.