Sidebottom, Trott added to English squad by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Player:	RJ Sidebottom, IJL Trott
Event:	Australia in British Isles 2009

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DateLine: 5th August 2009

 

England's selectors have added left-arm quick Ryan Sidebottom and uncapped batsman Jonathan Trott to the 14-man squad they announced Tuesday for the fourth Test against Australia here at Headingley. All the 11 players, including Andrew Flintoff, who took the field for the drawn third Ashes at Edgbaston retained their places.

 

Meanwhile in form fast bowler Stephen Harmison, who was in the squad for that match but didn't play, also kept his place despite bowling with blistered feet for county champions Durham.

 

England have tried to plan for fast bowling all-rounder Flintoff's possible absence through a longstanding right knee injury by giving themselves additional pace bowling options in Harmison and Sidebottom, who has been taking wickets for Nottinghamshire, as well as an extra batsman in Trott.

 

England are 1-0 up in the Ashes with two Tests to play.

 

There are just three days between the end of Monday's match at Edgbaston and Friday's start at Headingley. Flintoff top scored with 74 at Edgbaston but looked at times to be struggling with his knee injury. Having bowled England to victory in the second Test at Lord's, he went wicketless at Edgbaston and in both matches he needed injections before he could take the field in what Flintoff has said will be his final Test series.

 

Sidebottom - included in a Test squad for the first time this season - knows Headingley well, having started his career there with Yorkshire while Harmison, although erratic at international level, remains England's quickest bowler.

 

Former England captain Nasser Hussain has been among those questioning the current side's ability to take 20 wickets in a Test if the ball is not swinging and Harmison's raw speed would give the attack a different dimension.

 

Left-arm spinner Monty Panesar who was in the squad at Edgbaston but not selected for the match, was left out.

 

England squad :

 

Andrew Strauss (capt), Alastair Cook, Ravi Bopara, Ian Bell, Paul Collingwood, Matthew Prior (wkt), Andrew Flintoff, Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, James Anderson, Graham Onions, Stephen Harmison, Ryan Sidebottom, Jonathan Trott