May 23, 2007	Wednesday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 06, 1428

LONDON, May 22: Captain Michael Vaughan has been recalled to England's squad for the second Test against West Indies at Headingley in Leeds starting on Friday.

Vaughan missed the drawn series opener at Lord's with a broken finger.

All-rounder Andrew Flintoff has returned following an ankle injury but his fitness will be monitored. Bowlers James Anderson and Ryan Sidebottom have also been called up into what is now a 13-man squad.

Left-arm pace bowler Sidebottom, who played his lone Test for England six years ago against Pakistan, has been given another chance after Matthew Hoggard was ruled out with a thigh strain he sustained at Lord's.

Sidebottom, the son of former England seamer Arnie, is set to be competing with Anderson for the third pace bowling slot vacated by Hoggard, who is optimistic he will regain fitness in time for the third Test of a four-match series which starts at Old Trafford on June 7.

Vaughan is set to replace Owais Shah, twice out for single figures at Lord's, and will take over the captaincy from Andrew Strauss.

England's chairman of selectors, David Graveney, said: “The inclusion of James Anderson and Ryan Sidebottom in the squad is designed to provide us with different options within our pace bowling unit.

“With Jon Lewis and Stuart Broad unavailable through injury, we were keen to identify a bowler who could add variety to the attack.

“Ryan has been a consistent performer for Nottinghamshire over the last two seasons, is familiar with the Headingley pitch through his time with Yorkshire and deserves a further opportunity at this level.”

England delayed naming their squad while Hoggard, Flintoff and Vaughan all underwent fitness tests on Tuesday.

Hoggard was regarded as doubtful for the second Test from the moment he limped off at Lord's where he bowled just 10.1 overs.

However, England were confident that Vaughan – out of Test cricket for 18 months with knee and hamstring problems – would be fit for this match on his Yorkshire home ground after having his finger broken batting against Hampshire's Australia quick Stuart Clark on May 3.

Vaughan hasn't played a match since but Graveney said: “Michael Vaughan came through his net session today (Tuesday) without any adverse reaction while Andrew Flintoff practised earlier today, but did not bowl as a precaution.

“We will need to reassess Andrew's fitness over the next 48 hours and our plan is for him to bowl in practice on consecutive days to see if there is any further reaction to his ankle injury.”

England squad: Andrew Strauss (Middlesex), Alastair Cook (Essex), Ian Bell (Warwickshire), Michael Vaughan (Yorkshire, captain), Kevin Pietersen (Hampshire), Paul Collingwood (Durham), Andrew Flintoff (Lancashire), Matt Prior (Sussex, wicket-keeper), Liam Plunkett (Durham), Stephen Harmison (Durham), Monty Panesar (Northamptonshire), James Anderson (Lancashire), Ryan Sidebottom (Nottinghamshire).—AFP