Pietersen Not Included In England Squad For World T20

Pietersen Not Included In England Squad For World T20

Gareth Batty (centre) is rewarded for his excellent performances in this season's Friends Life t20 tournament.

©Action Images / Andrew Boyers Livepic

England have omitted Kevin Pietersen from their provisional squad for the ICC World Twenty20 in September. His omission means that he will not be available to help England defend their crown and seemingly quashes any talk of a u-turn over his retirement from limited-overs internationals.

Elsewhere, there are recalls for 50-over regulars Alastair Cook, James Anderson, Ian Bell and Matt Prior, although Jonathan Trott remains surplus to requirements. Prior and Bell look the most likely of this group to make the cut for the final 15, which must be announced no later than 18th August, thanks to the former’s excellent form in this season’s Friends Life t20 for Sussex, and the latter’s good performances at the top of England’s batting order in the One-Day Internationals against Australia.

Of the younger players to have made the cut, besides the usual names such as Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler and James Taylor, there is also room for Joe Root, and perhaps most surprisingly of all Lancashire’s Steven Croft. Croft has become an increasingly prominent figure for Lancashire over the past couple of seasons, captaining them during Glen Chapple’s regular absences and moving up to number three in limited overs cricket. Another notable inclusion from the county circuit is stand-in Surrey captain Gareth Batty, who regularly out-bowled the more-fancied Murali Kartik for the Lions in this year’s domestic Twenty20 competition.

England 30-man squad: Stuart Broad (captain), James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow (wicket-keeper), Gareth Batty, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Scott Borthwick, Tim Bresnan, Danny Briggs, Jos Buttler (wicket-keeper), Alastair Cook, Steven Croft, Steven Davies (wicket-keeper), Jade Dernbach, Steven Finn, Alex Hales, Craig Kieswetter (wicket-keeper), Michael Lumb, Stuart Meaker, Eoin Morgan, Graham Onions, Samit Patel, Matt Prior (wicket-keeper), Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Graeme Swann, James Taylor, James Tredwell, Chris Woakes, Luke Wright.

© Cricket World 2012