Opening Fielder

As widely predicted Vaughan is not going back to Pakistan for the one day series. This is for the best, the captain needs to be completely fit for the tour of India and frankly he is rubbish as a one day batsman. However it does add further confusion to an ever changing squad and plays havoc to whatever preparations have been made for the forecoming 5 match series. David Hopps in the Guardian suggests they are now in some disarray with the meticulous planning seen for the Ashes being replaced for this series by a couple of lines on the back of a restaurant menu.

Certainly this is another series that the England management will build up as an important piece in the jigsaw for the 2007 World Cup masterplan but in all honesty you really can't see the seeds to winning the Trophy being sown on the concrete pitches of Pakistan.

After the disappointing Test series, and given England indifferent record in the 50 over game, damage limitation may be the key achievement in the next 2 weeks. The batsman will hopefully find their feet, but looking at what remains of the squad the main concern must be with the bowling attack and how they are going to keep the runs down.

One-day squad.

England: Trescothick (captain), Anderson, Blackwell, Collingwood, Flintoff, Harmison, G Jones, Kabir Ali, Pietersen, Plunkett, Prior, Solanki, Strauss, Udal, Bell.

Harmison and Freddie will surely be both rested at some point. This leaves an attack of Udal, Anderson, Ali and Plunkett with some overs from Collingwood looking decidedly lightweight.

Cricket England One Day Michael Vaughan 2007 World Cup Guardian Times Restaurant Menu