LONDON, Aug 1: England cricket selectors performed a U-turn on Monday and called up in-form Durham all-rounder Paul Collingwood into their squad for Thursday’s second Ashes Test. Collingwood received the good news after England coach Duncan Fletcher and captain Michael Vaughan inspected the Edgbaston pitch as England seek to level the series after a crushing 239-run defeat at Lord’s.

Chairman of selectors David Graveney had originally insisted that the squad from the first Test would remain the same, but he changed his tune on Monday. Collingwood, a one-day England regular, is in prime form after hitting centuries in three of his last four County Championship innings.

England squad: Marcus Trescothick, Andrew Strauss, Michael Vaughan (capt), Ian Bell, Kevin Pietersen, Andrew Flintoff, Geraint Jones (wkt), Ashley Giles, Matthew Hoggard, Stephen Harmison, Simon Jones, Chris Tremlett, Paul Collingwood.—Agencies