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| January 1, 2003 | Wednesday | Shawwal 27, 1423 |
Vaughan, Giles, Flintoff make England team
SYDNEY, Dec 31: In-form opener Michael Vaughan has been included in the England squad for next year’s World Cup after the 15-man squad was announced on Tuesday.
Vaughan did not play in England’s early matches of the triangular one-day series with Australia and Sri Lanka but centuries in the second and fourth Ashes tests saw him force his way into the squad.
Allrounder Andy Flintoff and spin bowler Ashley Giles were also included in the squad despite being sent home from Australia with injuries.
England have been crippled by injuries in recent months but chairman of selectors David Graveney said he was pleased with the final team selection.
“I am satisfied that the players selected in this squad represent the best mix of experience and youth that England has available to it,” Graveney said in a statement.
“The unavailability of several key players for various reasons over recent months has given us the opportunity to bring in a number of young players into our plans.
“Several of these players have responded extremely well to the challenge and we have had no hesitation in including them in the squad.”
England have been drawn in pool A at the World Cup alongside Australia, Pakistan, India, Zimbabwe, Namibia and the Netherlands.
Their first scheduled pool match is against Zimbabwe in Harare on Feb 13.
No money for Zimbabwe pullout, says Britain Meanwhile Britain all but ruled out on Tuesday compensating its cricket authorities if they instruct the England team not to play a World Cup match in Zimbabwe early next year. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) will meet ministers next week, hoping for a lead on whether to boycott the match and has said it will press for recompense if it meets the government’s wish that it should not be played in Zimbabwe.
It says the costs could run into millions of pounds.
But Foreign Office minister Mike O’Brien poured cold water on that demand while continuing to shirk a decision on the game.
“It would be very odd for British taxpayers to be asked to foot the bill for a decision taken by an independent sporting organisation,” he told BBC Radio.—Reuters
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