A Test and Country Cricket Board spokesman said last night: ``John's father is seriously ill and we are unsure whether he will be travelling with the tour party. It's up in the air at the moment''

The under-19 party includes batsmen David Sales and Stephen Peters, who scored centuries on first-class debut for Northamptonshire and Essex respectively last season, and Ben Hollioake, brother of the England A captain, Adam.

Phil Neale, the tour manager, said: ``Having seen Owais Shah's promotion to the England A team come so quickly, they have to realise that the opportunities are there for them to step up if they perform''.

Englandy leave for the sub-continent as the best prepared under-19 party yet to tour abroad, courtesy of the TCCB's development of excellence programme.

ENGLAND PARTY: *A Flintoff (Lancs), D Sales (Northants), I Flanagan (Essex), S Peters (Essex), J Graham (Durham), Z Morris (Yorks), D Cosker (Glamorgan), B Hollioake (Surrey), G Batty (Yorks), J Powell (Essex), -C Read (Gloucs), -D Nash (Middlesex), A Tudor (Surrey), S Harmison (Durham), N Martin (Middlesex).

Manager: P Neale. Coach: J Abrahams. Physiotherapist: S Robertson.

ITINERARY.- Nov 25: Rawalpindi District Cricket Association (1-day, Rawalpindi). 27: Islamabad (1-day, Islamabad). 29: Karachi Cricket Association (3-day, Karachi). Dec 3: Sahiwal District Cricket Association (3-day, Sahiwal). 8: First Test v Pakistan Under-19 (4-day, Faisalabad). 14: Lahore Cricket Association (3-day, Lahore). 19: Second Test (4-day, Sheikhpura). 26: Third Test (4-day, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore).

Jan 1: Combined XI (1-day, Lahore). 3: First 1-day International v Pakistan Under-19 (Gurjanwala). 5: Second 1-day International (Sialkot). 8: Third 1-day International (National Stadium, Karachi).