January 17, 2007	Wednesday	Zilhaj 26, 1427

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LONDON, Jan 16: England coach Duncan Fletcher, who had less than a year ago claimed he could choose 10 members for World Cup automatically, has now admitted he is clueless about team composition.

He said there were a number of vacancies in the team now. This assumes significance, as World Cup is just two months away.

While identity of England's top six is pretty much set in stone – Strauss, Vaughan, Bell, Pietersen, Collingwood and Flintoff, bottom five is anything but.

A combination of factors, from one-day retirement of Steve Harmison to injuries to likes of Simon Jones, complicated bowling picture for Fletcher while demise of his chosen wicket-keeper Geraint Jones added to beleaguered coach's problems, Daily Mail reported on Tuesday.

Fletcher was in defensive mode when asked if he knew his World Cup team.

“We have had a lot of injuries since I said we just had one place to fill. We have had to bring some new players in. How many places are up for grabs in team now? I wouldn't know. I couldn't say,” paper quoted him as saying in Hobart.

“I know nothing about this and would have to speak to ECB about it. We've been going non-stop since Feb 4 last year and with World Cup that will be 14 months of continuous international cricket. Somewhere along line we have to have a break. To introduce even more cricket would complicate issue as far as England are concerned.”

According to paper, it is a sad state of affairs one that appears to be leading inexorably towards a fourth successive dismal World Cup campaign.—Agencies