England selectors prepare to name squad

When the first England Test squad of the season is announced on Sunday, some of the key questions about the line-up for the early part of the summer will be answered - for the time being at least. But, given that the first Test against Bangladesh will still be 11 days away, and there are at least three players carrying injuries, there will be plenty of room for manoeuvre.

England's batsmen have not been setting the county scene alight during the opening weeks of the season, but gone are the days when this would cause the selectors to consider wholesale changes. In fact Mark Butcher, who has yet to return to action this summer, will be the only centrally contracted batsman not to make the squad. Such has been the speed of Andrew Flintoff's recovery that the debate around his inclusion has subsided.

What has been filling most column inches instead is talk about who should take the last batting slot, and where exactly that slot will be - and it hasn't become much clearer in recent weeks. Ian Bell has churned out the most runs - 482 at an average of 80 - but Robert Key has done enough to keep the selectors thinking.

Then there is Kevin Pietersen. After a stuttering start to the season, the most talked about Test debut since Graeme Hick stepped out against West Indies in 1991 was looking like it would have to wait a while. But a dominant second-innings century at Canterbury has thrown Pietersen's name right back to the top of the list. Graham Thorpe's back spasms may yet open the door for two new batsmen to be tried against Bangladesh.

Bell has provided an irresistible case through the sheer weight of runs, backed up by his mature performances on the Academy tour. Pietersen probably only needed one good innings to convince the selectors and he has produced it in the nick of time. Key, therefore, is shaping up to be the unfortunate batsman. He has done little wrong and, having finished the series in South Africa, he will rightly feel hard done by if he fails to make the squad.

The bowlers have certainly used their time in county cricket to good effect. Steve Harmison has regained much of the confidence he lost in South Africa, Ashley Giles has picked up 24 wickets and Matthew Hoggard has bowled plenty of overs. Giles' hip injury is unlikely to cause a problem, with plenty of time to recover before the Test, so this leaves Simon Jones as the only doubt.

Jones has missed the last two Glamorgan matches and, although he is due to return in the National League, the selectors may be wary of rushing an injury-prone fast bowler back too quickly. Jon Lewis has been in the wickets for Gloucestershire and, after being called up as cover in South Africa, is still the next in line for the final seamer's spot despite the strong performances from Chris Tremlett.

Probable squad Michael Vaughan (capt), Marcus Trescothick, Andrew Strauss, Graham Thorpe, Ian Bell, Kevin Pietersen, Andrew Flintoff, Geraint Jones (wk), Ashley Giles, Matthew Hoggard, Steve Harmison, Simon Jones, Jon Lewis