NASSER HUSSAIN

Born: March 28 1968. Captain. Right-handed batsman. ODI debut: v Pakistan, Oct 1989. 84 ODIs, 2,308 runs at 31.18. Known as firebrand when young but now regarded as an astute leader. Did not fully establish himself in England team until six years after debut. Left out of 1999 World Cup squad, recalled as injury cover and ended top of the team averages. Succeeded Alec Stewart as captain after the tournament.

JAMES ANDERSON

Born: July 30 1982. Right-arm fast-medium bowler. ODI debut: v Australia, Melbourne Dec 2002. 9 matches, 13 wkts at 28.69. Began 2002 season playing club cricket, ended it in the England World Cup squad.

IAN BLACKWELL

Born: June 10 1978. Left-handed batsman, also bowls left-arm spin. ODI debut: v Zimbabwe, Colombo, Sept 2002, Champions Trophy. 12 matches, 214 runs, av 17.83, 12 wkts at 31.50. Shares Ian Botham’s shape and batting approach, as well as the same county team but no track record yet at the top level. Scored 82 from 68 in his 2nd ODI but England still crushed by eight wkts by India in ICC Champions Trophy.

ANDREW CADDICK

Born: Nov 21 1968. Right-arm fast-medium bowler, right-handed batsman. ODI debut: v Australia, 1993. 49 matches. 61 wkts at 29.29. New Zealand born. Has enjoyed world-class success despite suspect temperament. Tall, extracting sharp bounce. Often criticised for bowling a fraction short but can be unplayable on a seaming wicket.

PAUL COLLINGWOOD

Born: May 26 1976. Right-handed bat, also bowls right-arm medium, fine fielder. ODI debut: v Pakistan, Edgbaston 2001. 33 matches. 737 runs, av 30.70, 15 wkts at 43.33. In danger of being labelled just another “bits and pieces” player not good enough for Test cricket. First ODI scores were 2, 9 and a first-ball duck to Waqar Younis. Got his confidence back in England’s 5-0 win in Zimbabwe.

ANDREW FLINTOFF

Born: Dec 6 1977. All rounder — right-handed bat, right-arm medium paced bowler. ODI debut: v Pakistan, Sharjah, 1999. 47 ODIs, 37 wkts at 30.35, 863 runs at 23.97. Explosive player who has attracted plaudits and ridicule in equal measure. Nicknamed ‘Freddy’ (Flintstone). Attacking player. Touted as the next Ian Botham early in his career. Warned by England coach Duncan Fletcher to train more and eat less after the 1.93-metre player, plagued by back problems, weighed in at 114 kgs, more than world heavyweight boxing champion Lennox Lewis.

ASHLEY GILES

Born: March 19 1973. Slow left-arm bowler, right-handed batsman. ODI debut: v Australia, The Oval, 1997. 22 matches, 22 wkts at 37.45. Steady player who has earned more headlines because of injuries than match-winning performances. Stock rather than strike bowler. Pace bowler as a teenager until back trouble. First called into England ODI squad at the end of 1997 but real breakthrough came in 2000-1 Test tour to Pakistan, with 17 wickets, followed by a key contribution in series win in Sri Lanka.

STEVE HARMISON

Born: Oct 23 1978. Right-arm fast bowler. ODI debut: v Sri Lanka, Brisbane, Dec 2002. 5 matches, 5 wkts at 45.60. Wild, very raw — and often homesick — but blessed with express pace and steepling bounce. Tall and gangly, producing bounce of Curtly Ambrose but without the accuracy. Has backing of Nasser Hussain. Newcastle United fan.

MATTHEW HOGGARD

Born: Dec 31 1976. Right-arm fast-medium bowler. ODI debut: v Zimbabwe, Harare, Oct 2001. 27 wkts at 30.25. Good seamer and swinger of the ball — in helpful English conditions. Moves the ball off the seam and has considerable control of length and line. Also fine stamina. Batting has improved from atrocious to limited. Yorkshireman born in Pudsey, home of Sir Leonard Hutton.

RONNIE IRANI

Born: Oct 26 1971. One-day all-rounder — right-handed batsman, right-arm medium bowler. ODI debut: v India, The Oval, 1996. 29 ODIs, 348 runs at 15.13, highest score 53, 21 wkts at 44.33. Popular with his team mates but yet to make England’s supporters smile much. Big, barrel-chested man. Great enthusiast. Manchester United fan.

NICK KNIGHT

Born: Nov 28 1969. Left-handed batsman. ODI debut: v Pakistan, Old Trafford, Aug 1996. 95 ODIs, av 41.89, five centuries and 24 fifties. Highest one-day average in England side but regarded as too loose technically for Tests. Loves to charge the quick bowlers in one-dayers, cross-batting strokes over the infield. Played hockey for England as a youngster. Started career at Essex before moving to Warwickshire in 1995.

ALEC STEWART

Born: April 8 1963. Wicket-keeper/all-rounder — right-handed bat. ODI debut: v India, Delhi, Oct 1989. ODIs: 165, 4,541 runs at 31.53, four hundreds, 27 fifties. Every captain’s dream — a loyal servant, fiercely patriotic and sure to be remembered as an England great. Will be 40 shortly after tournament. Son of Mickey Stewart, former England batsman and manager. A specialist batsman turned into a wicket-keeping all-rounder to fill chasm left by Ian Botham. Fanatical about fitness and neat appearance.

MARCUS TRESCOTHICK

Born: Dec 25 1975. Left-handed bat, occasional right-arm medium pace. ODI debut: v Zimbabwe, The Oval, July 2000. 56 ODIs, 2,045 runs, av 37.18, four hundreds. The nearest England have to a match-winner, with an ODI strike rate of 87.95. Straightforward method — upright stance, rocks from back to front foot but minimal foot movement.

MICHAEL VAUGHAN

Born: Oct 29 1974. Right-handed bat, occasional off-spinner. ODI debut: v Sri Lanka, Dambulla, March 2001. 425 runs at 22.36, no hundreds but at a healthy strike rate of 73.52. Most prolific Test batsman in the world in 2002 but still all to prove in one-dayers. Lancastrian by birth, plays for Yorkshire. Tall, correct upright style. Excellent concentration. Began in middle order before moving to Test opener. Normally at four in ODIs. Captaincy material.

CRAIG WHITE

Born: Dec 16 1969. All-rounder — right-handed batsman, right-arm fast medium bowler. ODI debut: v Australia, Sydney, Dec 1994. 46 ODIs, av 14.81, 56 wkts at 27.62. Blacked out and collapsed in 2000, cause never discovered. Born in Yorkshire, raised in Australia. Ability to reverse swing. Once genuinely fast, with an action reminiscent of Jeff Thomson, but has lost pace. Darren Lehmann’s brother-in-law. Began career as off-spinning all-rounder. Same academy intake as Shane Warne.—Reuters