England development squad profiles

BBC Sport looks at the 25 players selected in the England development squad and assesses their chances at Test level.

BATSMEN

Michael Vaughan (Yorkshire)

Born: 29/10/74
Right-handed batsman; off-spin bowler
Test debut: 25/11/99 v South Africa, Johannesburg
ODI debut: 23/03/01 v Sri Lanka, Dambulla

England captain since 2003, Vaughan must play a major role with the bat if England are to regain the Ashes from Australia this summer.

Ian Bell (Warwickshire)

Born: 11/4/82
Right-handed batsman; right-arm medium pace bowler
Test debut : 21/8/04 v West Indies, The Oval
ODI debut: 28/11/04 v Zimbabwe, Harare 2004

A technically correct top-order batsman, Bell played a single Test last summer and is one of the top candidates for the vacant spot in the England Test line-up.

Mark Butcher (Surrey)

Born: 23/8/72
Left-handed batsman; right-arm medium pace bowler
Test debut: 8/6/97 v Australia, Edgbaston

One of England's most technically gifted batsmen, Butcher has been hit by a series of injuries over the last 12 months and could find that others have passed him in the queue for a Test place.

Rob Key (Kent)

Born: 12/5/79
Right-hand batsman
Test debut: 8/8/02 v India at Nottingham, 2002
ODI debut: 26/6/03 v Zimbabwe at Nottingham, 2003

A heavy run-scorer in domestic cricket, Key has been criticised for flaws in his game at Test level but is in the mix for a Test place against Australia.

Kevin Pietersen (Hampshire)

Born: 27/6/80
Right hand batsman; off-break bowler
ODI debut: 28/11/04 v Zimbabwe, Harare 2004

The South African born big-hitting batsman made a splash for England this winter after qualifying through residency and should gain an early chance to prove his ability at Test level.

Vikram Solanki (Worcestershire)

Born: 1/4/76
Right hand batsman; off-spin bowler
ODI debut: 23/01/00 v South Africa, Bloemfontein

A fast-scoring partner for Marcus Trescothick at the top of the order in the one-day side, Solanki's perceived weakness outside off-stump have so far kept him out of the Test side.

Andrew Strauss (Middlesex)

Born: 2/3/77
Left hand batsman; left arm medium bowler
Test debut: 20/5/04 v New Zealand, Lord's
ODI debut: 18/11/03 v Sri Lanka, Dambulla

The opening batsman made a dream debut with a century at Lord's against New Zealand and has not looked back since, cementing his place in the Test side for the foreseeable future.

Graham Thorpe (Surrey)

Born: 1/8/69
Left-handed batsman
Test debut:1/7/93 v Australia, Trent Bridge
ODI debut: 19/5/93 v Australia, Old Trafford

Widely expected to retire at the end of this summer, Thorpe is still on his day one of the more stylish members of the England side and an ideal man for a crisis.

Marcus Trescothick (Somerset)

Born: 25/12/75
Left-handed batsman; right arm medium pace bowler
Test debut: 3/8/00 v West Indies, Old Trafford
ODI debut: 08/07/00 v Zimbabwe, The Oval

A surprise call-up in 2000, Trescothick is one of the first names on the England team sheet, opening the batting in both forms of the game and deputising for skipper Vaughan.

ALL-ROUNDERS

Paul Collingwood (Durham)

Born: 26/5/76
Right-handed batsman; right arm medium bowler
Test debut: 2/12/03 v Sri Lanka, Galle
ODI debut: 07/06/01 v Pakistan, Edgbaston

Passed by several others in the queue for a Test place since acting as an injury replacement on tour in Sri Lanka at the end of 2003, Collingwood is nevertheless one of the most valuable members of the one-day side, especially for his batting and fielding.

Andrew Flintoff (Lancashire)

Born: 6/12/77
Right-handed batsman; right arm fast bowler
Test debut: 23/7/98 v South Africa, Nottingham
ODI debut: 07/04/99 v Pakistan, Sharjah

Perhaps the most exciting batsman of his generation, Flintoff is also proving increasingly valuable as an attacking option with the ball and England will hope he puts an ankle injury behind him in time for the Ashes.

WICKET-KEEPERS

Geraint Jones (Kent)

Born: 14/7/76
Wicket-keeper; right-handed batsman
Test debut: 10/4/04 v West Indies, St John's
ODI debut: 27/06/04 v West Indies, Trent Bridge

An exciting batsman who plays square of the wicket with cuts and hooks, Jones has been guilty of the occasional mistake behind the stumps but is the current wicket-keeping incumbent.

Chris Read (Nottinghamshire)

Born: 10/8/78
Wicket-keeper; right-handed batsman
Test debut: 1/7/99 v v New Zealand, Edgbaston
ODI debut: 23/1/00 v South Africa, Bloemfontein

Widely considered one of the best glove men in English cricket, Read concedes he has work to do with his batting to regain the Test place he lost to Jones a year ago.

BOWLERS

Kabir Ali (Worcestershire)

Born: 24/11/80
Right-arm medium-fast bowler; right-handed batsman
Test debut: v South Africa, Headingley, 2003
ODI debut: v Zimbabwe, Headingley, 2003

Ali played a single Test in the middle of an injury crisis two summers ago but is now seen as more of a one-day specialist, where his bowling variation in the last few overs, and his lower-order batting are useful.

James Anderson (Lancashire)

Born: 30/07/82
Right arm fast medium bowler; left-handed batsman
Test debut: 22/5/03 v Zimbabwe, Lord's
ODI debut: 15/12/02 v Australia, Melbourne

Anderson has struggled for form since making an impressive one-day international debut in Australia and although he is still seen as a bowler who has what it takes, he may not feature in this Ashes series.

Gareth Batty (Worcestershire)

Born 13/10/77
Off-spin bowler; right-handed batsman
Test debut: 21/10/03 v Bangladesh, Dhaka
ODI debut: 13/12/02 v Australia, Sydney

England's second spinner behind Ashley Giles for the last few years, Batty is also an energising presence on the field, but faces competition from Graeme Swann for a place in the one-day side.

Ashley Giles (Warwickshire)

Born: 19/3/73
Slow left arm spin bowler; Right-handed batsman
Test debut: 2/7/98 v South Africa, Manchester
ODI debut: 24/5/97 v Australia, The Oval

Twelve months ago he was considering quitting international cricket after a crisis in confidence, but Giles is now set as England's leading slow bowler and will play a major role in the Test side.

Darren Gough (Essex)

Born: 18/9/70
Right arm fast medium bowler; right-handed batsman;
Test debut: 30/6/94 v New Zealand, Old Trafford
ODI debut: 19/5/94 v New Zealand, Edgbaston

A serious knee injury forced Gough to retire from Test cricket in 2003 but he continues to provide a spark in the one-day side, mentoring youngsters but also making vital breakthroughs and providing impressive economy.

Steve Harmison (Durham)

Born: 23/10/78
Right arm fast bowler; right hand batsman
Test debut: 8/8/02 v India, Trent Bridge
ODI debut: 17/12/02 v Sri Lanka, Brisbane

The Durham pace bowler's return to form is seen as one of the key factors if England are to regain the Ashes, and he will be given every chance to return to his blazing best.

Matthew Hoggard (Yorkshire)

Born: 31/12/76
Right-arm fast-medium bowler; right-handed batsman
Test debut: 29/6/00 v West Indies, Lord's
ODI debut: 3/10/01 v Zimbabwe, Harare

As an opening bowler, Hoggard brings an extra dimension to the England Test attack, a swing bowler to go alongside the pace men, and his recent success will see him inked in for the Ashes.

Simon Jones (Glamorgan)

Born: 25/12/78
Right arm fast-medium bowler; left hand batsman
Test debut: 25/7/02 v India, Lord's
ODI debut: 4/12/04 v Zimbabwe, Bulawayo

Seen as an express bowler when he made his Test debut, Jones has come back from a career-threatening knee injury as a bowler who excels controlling reverse swing with the older ball.

Jonathan Lewis (Gloucestershire)

Born: 26/8/75
Right-arm medium-fast bowler; right-hand batsman

One of just two players in the development squad without international experience, Lewis is an accurate, probing bowler who seems more likely to play in the Test side, but there are several names above him in the pecking order.

Graeme Swann (Nottinghamshire)

Born: 24/3/79
Right-hand bat
Bowling style; off-spin bowler
ODI debut: 23/1/00 v South Africa, Bloemfontein

Cast out by the England side in 2000 amid reports of a poor attitude, Swann impressed with bat and ball with the England Academy last winter and could oust Gareth Batty from the one-day side at least.

Chris Tremlett (Hampshire)

Born: 2/9/81
Right-arm medium-fast bowler; right-handed batsman

Standing 6ft 7ins tall, Tremlett challenges batsmen with an accurate line and extra bounce. He is likely to be given a chance in the one-day side before taking his Test bow, perhaps next winter.

Alex Wharf (Glamorgan)

Born: 4/6/75
Right arm fast-medium bowler; right-handed batsman
ODI debut: 01/09/04 v India, Trent Bridge

A surprise call-up to the one-day side last year, Wharf has challenged batsmen without taking hauls of wickets. He is likely to keep his one-day place but will not figure in Tests.