Cricket Former Ireland batsman Ed Joyce has been picked for the ECB National Academy squad, effectively an England A team, for their winter programme and tour, it was announced yesterday.
Joyce, who has been having a prolific season for his county, Middlesex, will join the likes of Robert Key, Gareth Batty and Owais Shah in the squad, which will be based in the Loughborough centre of excellence before heading off on an A tour later in the winter, possibly to Australia.
Joyce (26) was an outside chance for selection to the full England side for their three-Test tour to Pakistan next month, but it was always unlikely the selectors would tamper unduly with the team who regained the Ashes in such dramatic fashion this summer.
It was decided to go with an extra spin bowler and reserve wicketkeeper instead of a batsman.
Joyce was the fastest batsman in the English County Championship to get to 1,000 runs before helping Ireland reach the finals of the 2007 World Cup at the ICC Trophy in July.
Although the second half of the season was not so fruitful for the Bray man he has still averaged well over 40 for the season and is realistically seen as an England Test player of the future.
Meanwhile, after a break of nearly 11 years in his international career, the selectors recalled Shaun Udal for the Pakistan tour. The 36-year-old Hampshire player has had a great season for his club and is one of three spinners in the side for the trip to the sub-continent.
Speaking at the announcement of the squads, chairman of selectors David Graveney said: "In choosing our Test squad, the area that involved the most discussion was the choice of spin bowlers. Udal is an experienced spinner and based on his performances this summer, we felt he merited inclusion ahead of other candidates such as Gareth Batty, Richard Dawson and Graeme Swann.
"Without wishing to be too blunt, regrettably their performances during the summer have probably been disappointing for them. Shaun, by far, is the performing bowler at the present time."
Simon Jones has been included in both the Test and one-day squads, subject to fitness. He is still recovering from the foot injury that kept him out of the fifth Ashes Test in the Oval.
Following his inspirational performance with the ball against the Australians, particularly his ability to make the old ball swing, Jones' availability could be crucial.
The Academy squad includes some very inexperienced players as well as established county pros like Joyce.
It includes young left-arm Nottinghamshire seamer Mark Footitt and also former England wicketkeeper Chris Read, who was left out of the full tour in favour of Matt Prior.
ENGLAND TEST SQUAD: Michael Vaughan (capt), James Anderson, Ian Bell, Paul Collingwood, Andrew Flintoff, Ashley Giles, Steve Harmison, Matthew Hoggard, Geraint Jones, Simon Jones, Alex Loudon, Kevin Pietersen, Matt Prior, Andrew Strauss, Chris Tremlett, Marcus Trescothick, Shaun Udal.
ENGLAND ONE-DAY SQUAD: Michael Vaughan (capt), James Anderson, Paul Collingwood, Andrew Flintoff, Ashley Giles, Steve Harmison, Geraint Jones, Simon Jones, Kevin Pietersen, Matt Prior, Liam Plunkett, Vikram Solanki, Andrew Strauss, Chris Tremlett, Marcus Trescothick.
ENGLISH NATIONAL ACADEMY SQUAD: Gareth Batty, Ravi Bopara, Stuart Broad, Rikki Clarke, Alastair Cook, James Dalrymple, Steven Davies, Mark Footitt, Ed Joyce, Robert Key, Sajid Mahmood, Liam Plunkett, Chris Read, Owais Shah, Tom Smith, Luke Wright, Mike Yardy.
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