The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : England names unchanged squad for second Test

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Monday, Aug 01, 2005

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England names unchanged squad for second Test

LONDON: England cricket selectors, on Sunday, named an unchanged squad for the second Ashes Test against Australia at Edgbaston.

The home side's 239-run first-test loss inside four days had prompted calls for changes to the 12-man squad for the second Test, which starts on Thursday.

But chairman of selectors David Graveney said he and fellow selection panel members Geoff Miller and coach Duncan Fletcher had seen some positive signs during the first Test at Lord's, namely the bowling of Stephen Harmison and Kevin Pietersen's batting.

``The selectors met on the Monday after the Lord's Test and looked at the way we played and identified the obvious plus points, including bowling Australia out twice,'' Graveney said.

``We don't believe that there's any need to change the team, clearly we are disappointed that the result of the first Test went against us, but we still have strong belief in the squad that was selected,'' Graveney added.

The unchanged squad means that all-rounder Paul Collingwood will have to continue his wait for a call-up, despite scoring three centuries in a week for county side Durham.

England has not lost a Test match at Edgbaston since it last played Australia at the Birmingham ground four years ago.

Chris Tremlett, England's 12th man in the first Test, is likely to carry the drinks again.

The squad: Michael Vaughan (captain), Marcus Trescothick, Andrew Strauss, Ian Bell, Kevin Pietersen, Andrew Flintoff, Geraint Jones, Ashley Giles, Matthew Hoggard, Stephen Harmison, Simon Jones, Chris Tremlett. — AP

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