By IANS,
London : England selectors announced a 15-member squad under Kevin Pietersen for the seven-match ODI series in India in November here Tuesday.
The same squad has been named for the Stanford Super Series Twenty20 match against All-Star West Indies team.
Seamer Ryan Sidebottom, who missed the NatWest series against South Africa, comes back in the side replacing Tim Bresnan. Barring this sole change, the selectors have retained the same squad that defeated South Africa 4-0 in the recent NatWest Series.
England have also announced their list of 12 centrally contracted players for the 2008-09 season and the new seven-man Increment Contract list for players who are regular squad members but are not the guaranteed first choice players.
Michael Vaughan, who stepped down as captain after the 2-1 Test series loss to South Africa, has found a place in the central contract list.
“The award of an England central contract to Michael Vaughan reflects the selectors’ view that Michael still has a role to play in the England Test squad over the next 12 months,” selector Geoff Miller said in a statement.
Vaughan, who has been struggling for form was replaced as captain by Pietersen, who led England to victory in the final Test of the series and to a 4-0 sweep over South Africa in the subsequent one-day series.
“As we build toward the Ashes in 2009, we feel that Michael’s experience of previous Ashes campaigns and his excellent personal record against Australia will be an important asset to the squad.”
Stuart Broad won an England central contract for the first time while Matthew Hoggard, who has not played for England since the tour of New Zealand in March, has been overlooked.
England will play a West Indian all-star team in the the Stanford Superstars Nov.1 in a Twenty20 match in Antigua. The winning team will pocket $20 million as prize money. England will then play a one-day series in India that begins Nov. 14.
Players awarded an increment contract will receive an additional one-off payment from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on top of the salary they receive from their first-class county. Players awarded a 12-month England central contract will continue to be paid by the ECB rather than their county.
Squad for Stanford and India ODIs: Kevin Pietersen (capt), James Anderson, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Stuart Broad, Paul Collingwood, Alastair Cook, Andrew Flintoff, Stephen Harmison, Samit Patel, Matt Prior (wicketkeeper), Owais Shah, Graeme Swann, Ryan Sidebottom, Luke Wright
Central contracts: James Anderson, Ian Bell, Stuart Broad, Paul Collingwood, Alastair Cook, Andrew Flintoff, Stephen Harmison, Monty Panesar, Kevin Pietersen, Ryan Sidebottom, Andrew Strauss, Michael Vaughan.
Increment contracts: Tim Ambrose, Ravi Bopara, Samit Patel, Matthew Prior, Owais Shah, Graeme Swann, Luke Wright