Steve Harmison gets deserved place

Steve Harmison, famed as the quickest bowler in England, was given a deserved spot in a 13 man England squad ahead of next week's first test against Zimbabwe. The 21 year old Durham ace perforated Mark Butcher's ear drum with a bouncer earlier in the season.

Steve Harmison, at press conference after being named in the Test squad Photo © Paul McGregor

Ed Giddins returns after injuries to Dean Headley, Alan Mullally and Chris Silverwood. Giddins has played one test previously, against New Zealand last summer, where he performed well and was unlucky to be left out of England's tour to South Africa. Chris Schofield will make his test debut. The 21 year old leg-spinner has been in the wickets and the runs so far this summer, and to blood him against one of the weaker test sides seems like a good idea.

Both Nick Knight and Mark Ramprakash will fight for an opening spot. It seems likely that Ramprakash, named as Atherton's opening partner after the central contracts were announced in March. Knight will float somewhere in the middle order, whilst Hick and Flintoff look set to give some spark to the middle order.

The squad: Hussain, Atherton, Knight, Ramprakash, Stewart, Hick, Flintoff, White, Caddick, Gough, Schofield, Harmison, Giddins.