England's provisional one-day squad of 30 for the ICC Champions Trophy in September contains the names of 10 uncapped players, alongside the 14 who comprised the squad for the NatWest Series.

The 30 names will be whittled down to a final list of 14 names by August 10, when one suspects only one or two of the new names will survive the cull in view of coach Duncan Fletcher's preference for continuity in selection.

The ten uncapped players are Ian Bell and Mark Wagh (Warwickshire), Richard Dawson (Yorkshire), Alex Gidman and Jonathan Lewis, (Gloucestershire), Graham Napier (Essex), Michael Powell, Simon Jones and Alex Wharf (Glamorgan) and Chris Tremlett (Hampshire).

David Graveney, chairman of selectors, said: "Our ultimate goal as selectors is to build a side for the World Cup in 2007 and the make-up of this squad gives a good indication as to the type of team we are looking to develop and the particular roles we are looking to fill within it.

"We will continue to experiment with new players as we seek the right blend between experience and youth ahead of 2007. I would stress that this is by no means a definitive or exhaustive list. A number of seam bowling options were considered and those who are not on the list should not be unduly disheartened."

Ironically, the one truly exiting talent who would be sure to get into the final squad of 14 if only he was available is conspicuous by his absence. The South African-born Kevin Pietersen will not qualify for his mother's country until October, but he fits the bill in every conceivable way.

His match-winning attacking batting is just what is required to shore up England's flaky top order, his athleticism would improve their lacklustre fielding and he is a more than useful back-up spin bowler.

While England wait impatiently for his availability, perhaps the next in line for a place in the final XI is Warwickshire's Ian Bell, especially if Kent's Robert Key continues to struggle umber three role. Bell has been in rollicking form this year, is a far more athletic fielder then Key and bowls handy medium pace.

Of the other uncapped players, the Glamorgan duo, Michael Powell and Alex Wharf are also being carefully considered. Powell's aggressive strokeplay and Wharf's all-round performances have gone a long way to establishing Glamorgan's performances in one-day cricket this year.

Fletcher's obsession with developing a side packed with all-rounders also puts Gloucestershire's Alex Gidman and Hampshire's Chris Tremlett very much in the frame.

Tremlett is a promising medium-fast bowler and capable lower-order batsman, and Gidman, who was chosen by Rod Marsh to captain the England 'A' tour of Malaysia and India, is primarily a middle-order right-handed batsman, who also bowls steady medium pace.

But it is hard to escape the conclusion that to select either of these two in place of Anthony McGrath, Rikki Clarke and Ian Blackwell would be to replace like with like and that England should be focusing more on selecting players of real international quality.

Fletcher's policy of picking several all-rounders, often disparagingly dubbed 'bits and pieces players' much to his annoyance, caused England to select some very weak batting line-ups for the early games in the NatWest Series before they woke up to the necessity of having proven quality throughout the side.

In that respect the continuing omission of the classy Mark Butcher, a veteran of 69 Tests who has reiterated his desire for a role in the one-day side, is a mystery, although Graveney mystifyingly said he is still being considered for a future role.

But England should not despair of getting the one-day formula right as they have more than half their squad already set in stone. Steve Harmison and Andrew Flintoff are among the world's best bowlers in this form of cricket and James Anderson's wicket-taking potential is a real asset.

The Lancashire bowler's youthful energy and pace mean he should now open the bowling instead of Darren Gough, whose reduced firepower would be better suited to containment in the more tactical, middle section of the innings.

Marcus Trescothick failed consistently in the NatWest Series but is a magnificent performer in ODIs and will come good again. Flintoff is phenomenally effective now he is using his intellect as well as his brawn and Andrew Strauss has already disproved the theory that extensive experience in ODIs is essential for a top performer.

But England still need more runs from both Michael Vaughan and another top-order player, whether it is Key or a newcomer, as the pressure is being put on their middle-order too soon. They also need to find another quality seamer who can take wickets and keep it tight.

Lancashire's Sajid Mahmood was expensive on debut against New Zealand at Bristol in the NatWest Series when he was immediately targeted by the experienced Black Caps' strokeplayers. But his performances for his county suggest he should be persevered with.

The make-up of the final 14 must also be influenced by the mobility and skill of the fielders, such a vital part of the game as New Zealand proved against West Indies in the final of the NatWest Series.

Had England been as sharp against West Indies in the final qualifying game, instead of missing so many catches and run outs, they would surely have been contesting the final.

Michael Vaughan (capt, Yorkshire), Kabir Ali (Worcestershire), James Anderson (Lancashire) Gareth Batty (Worcestershire), Ian Bell (Warwickshire), Ian Blackwell (Somerset), Rikki Clarke (Surrey), Paul Collingwood (Durham), Richard Dawson (Yorkshire), Andrew Flintoff (Lancashire), Alex Gidman (Gloucestershire), Ashley Giles (Warwickshire), Darren Gough (Essex), Stephen Harmison (Durham), Geraint Jones (Kent), Simon Jones (Glamorgan), Robert Key (Kent), James Kirtley (Sussex), Jonathan Lewis (Gloucestershire), Anthony McGrath (Yorkshire), Sajid Mahmood (Lancashire), Graham Napier (Essex) Michael Powell (Glamorgan), Chris Read (Nottinghamshire), Vikram Solanki (Worcestershire), Andrew Strauss (Middlesex), Chris Tremlett (Hampshire), Marcus Trescothick (Somerset), Mark Wagh (Warwickshire), Alex Wharf (Glamorgan).

12 Jul, 2004