Crawley gets surprise shot

Cork has starred at Lord's in the past

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Alec Stewart will keep wicket and there are recalls for Dominic Cork and Alex Tudor in an England squad of 13 for the first Test against Sri Lanka, beginning at Lord's on Thursday.

But the biggest surprise is the return of batsman John Crawley, taking the spot occupied by Mark Ramprakash against New Zealand.

Warwickshire batsman Ian Bell, 20, had been expected to get the selectors' nod.

But Crawley's early season form, including an innings of 272 on debut for Hampshire could gain him another shot at Sri Lanka.

The elegant right-hander scored a double century in England's last home Test against Sri Lanka, at The Oval in 1998, although the hosts crashed to a 10-wicket defeat.

"We had a lengthy discussion about the choice of extra batsman and looked at Ian Bell, David Fulton and Robert Key as well as John Crawley," said chairman of selectors David Graveney.

"Ian has matured a lot as a cricketer over the winter, but he hasn't played on the best wickets so far this summer and hasn't been in the best of form."

Old hands

Tudor already has 15 first-class wickets this season after a successful winter at the England Academy, and was expected to take the place of the injured Darren Gough.

And Cork put himself back in contention with 23 wickets and 173 runs as Derbyshire won their first three Championship matches.

Tudor has 15 wickets so far this season

Cork has taken 33 wickets in seven Tests at the venue, including figures of seven for 43 on debut against West Indies in 1995.

"We feel that Dominic Cork's bowling suits the particular requirements of Lord's - especially if the wicket performs in the same way it has for the last two years," said Graveney.

"Dominic has been in good form for Derbyshire, is very fit and his action is now back to where it was three years ago. He deserves his place back in the squad."

"Alex Tudor has been in and out of the Test side before, but we hope that he can now be a consistent performer for England."

Wicket-keeper James Foster broke his left arm while batting in the nets at Essex last weekend.

Stewart would have been first-choice for the gloves were it not for the selectors eagerness to give the 21-year-old extra experience.

So is little surprise that the Surrey man, 39, has been handed the chance to add to his 115 Test caps.

Two miss out

The selectors will, of course need to keep their options open according to pitch conditions.

Stewart's return opens up the possibility of either five or six front-line batsmen making the final 11 in addition.

England could opt for four or five pace bowlers. Spinner Ashley Giles looks unlikely to play on a seaming wicket.

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England 13: Nasser Hussain (capt) (Essex), Marcus Trescothick (Somerset), Mark Butcher (Surrey), Michael Vaughan (Yorkshire), Graham Thorpe (Surrey), Alec Stewart (wkt) (Surrey), John Crawley (Hampshire), Dominic Cork (Derbyshire), Andrew Flintoff (Lancashire), Ashley Giles (Warwickshire), Andrew Caddick (Somerset), Matthew Hoggard (Yorkshire), Alex Tudor (Surrey).