Test Cricket

Owais Shah has been given the nod ahead of Ravi Bopara for England's 15-man squad for their trip to India this summer, taking the place of former captain Michael Vaughan who has been told to spend the winter remembering how to hold a cricket bat.

National selector Geoff Miller reckons there's a chance that Vaughany could yet make an appearance for the Performance Squad. Tim Ambrose and Matt Prior will once again be pitted in direct competition with each other for the right to wear the wickie's mitts, while Graeme Swann comes in as cover for Monty.

Liam Plunkett, Rob Key and Sajid Mahmood are among the well known faces called up to the Performance Squad.

England squad: Kevin Pietersen (skip), Alastair Cook, Andrew Strauss, Ian Bell, Paul Collingwood, Andrew Flintoff, Tim Ambrose (wickie), Matt Prior (wickie), Stuart Broad, Steve Harmison, James Anderson, Monty Panesar, Ryan Sidebottom, Owais Shah, Graeme Swann.

England Performance squad: Tim Bresnan, Mark Davies, Steven Davies, Joe Denly, Robbie Joseph, Robert Key, Amjad Khan, Sajid Mahmood, Dawid Malan, Eoin Morgan, Stephen Moore, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Ollie Rayner, Jonathan Trott

But Broady missed out...

Did you catch the ICC Cricketer of the Year awards last night in Dubai?

Erm, yeah, of course...

Sure. So you'll know that Shivnerine Chanderpaul was named as Cricketer of the Year then?

Yeah, and well done to him. Thoroughly deserved. Did Broady win the youngster gong?

Didn't see it then?

Must've popped out for a cuppa at that point.

Come on then the what's the million dollar question?

Who got in the England squad for the Twenty20 pot of gold?

Correct! If only it was that easy... Personnel then please!

In the words of Thom Yorke, there were no surprises with Ryan Sidebottom returning in place of Tim Bresnan, although Alastiar Cook's place in the 15 surely just means he gets a free holiday.

I can't remember the last time he cleared the ropes?

He never has!

Weren't the central contracts dished out?

Michael Vaughan's diligent service to English cricket as well as an impressive record against the Aussies earns him the nod alongside Stuart Broad ahead of Matthew Hoggard.

What's your verdict?

Naming the same side for the Stanford Series as well as the one-day series in India bodes and reflects well on Kevin Pietersen's immediate impact upon the side as captain.

Wow, that doesn't happen very often - so what about Steve Harmison?

His timely reinvention as a one-day cricketer looks set to bolster his bank as well as his Ashes chances.

These new Increment contracts. What are they like, some U21 club?

Not quite. It's just for those who are regulars in the squad but haven't yet cemented their spots such as Matt Prior and Tim Ambrose as England's wicket-keeping dilemma rolls on.

Squad for Stanford and India ODIs: Kevin Pietersen (capt), James Anderson, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Stuart Broad, Paul Collingwood, Alastair Cook, Andrew Flintoff, Stephen Harmison, Samit Patel, Matt Prior (wk), Owais Shah, Graeme Swann, Ryan Sidebottom, Luke Wright

Central contracts: James Anderson, Ian Bell, Stuart Broad, Paul Collingwood, Alastair Cook, Andrew Flintoff, Stephen Harmison, Monty Panesar, Kevin Pietersen, Ryan Sidebottom, Andrew Strauss, Michael Vaughan.

Increment contracts: Tim Ambrose, Ravi Bopara, Samit Patel, Matt Prior, Owais Shah, Graeme Swann, Luke Wright.

"Next stop guys: establishing world peace..."

And it's good to see he's not getting carried away...

So new England skipper Kevin Pietersen has been reflecting on the consolation victory over South Africa. Thankfully, he's not getting carried away and demonstrating that we truly have a new captain with his head screwed on and his feet firmly on the ground.

"It's been a great few days and a great few days for the side. If we play like we did this week we can beat Australia."

Ah...

So KP wins his first Test as captain as England successfully chase 197 to seal victory. But Graeme Smith doesn't care a jot as he lifts the Basil D'Oliveira Trophy after a 2-1 series win.

Sounds like quite a comfortable run chase for England?

Bizarrely, it was.

Really?

Yeah. Strauss and Cook's comfortable opening stand of 123, including half centuries for both, meant that it was unlikely to be a nervy finish for once.

Great. But there must have been some kind of wobble surely?

Well, yes, obviously. When Cook was caught by Smith of Ntini, Strauss (caught by Smith off Harris), Bell (bowled by Ntini) and then Skip Pietersen soon followed in what could be called a mini-collapse, but Colly and Flintoff saw England home, Freddie lamping a six to finish with a flourish.

I bet you Cap'n Kev was gutted not to finish the day...

He certainly was. He looked as though he was going to cry when he was caught off a very happy Harris for just 13. He'd obviously envisaged finishing it off with a left-handed six.

Ah well, you can't have everything can you Kev?

No he can't. But he certainly looked happy by the end, especially when he was awarded England's Man Of The Match and Man Of The Series.

Did he mention his missus by any chance?

No, but the Sky camerman certainly got his fill, with him forgetting to film what was going on the field at one point.

Pervert. Bet you he had his eye on the NPower girls as well.

Yeah, but they weren't as nice. A Gas Mark 6 only I reckon...

Very good. 

Thanks. Moving on, the next Test match isn't until December 11th, so Kev's got a lot of time to turn consolation victories into series wins.

Consolation Kev. That's got a ring to it....

Let's hope it doesn't stick...