25 Sep 2010

Panesar back for England

3:23 pm on 25 September 2010

The left-arm spinner Monty Panesar was handed a chance to resurrect his Test cricket career while Chris Tremlett could join a towering pace attack after both were named in England's squad to tour Australia later this year.

Panesar, whose last test was the first match of the 2009 Ashes series, got the nod as back-up spinner to Graeme Swann.

Tall fast-medium bowler Tremlett, was preferred to Ajmal Shahzad after an impressive season for Surrey and Tim Bresnan was included for his bouncy fast-medium bowling and useful batting.

England's first-choice bowling attack is likely to be Swann, Anderson, Steven Finn and Stuart Broad.

Steven Davies, was selected as wicketkeeping backup to Matt Prior while Kevin Pietersen, dropped for the one-day series against Pakistan, returns to the squad after playing for Natal in South Africa.

Andrew Strauss will captain the side with fellow opener Alastair Cook vice-captain of the 16-man squad.

The Ashes begin in Brisbane in November.