What is more, the selectors have wisely assured both that they will play in at least one of the three matches for the Texaco Trophy, at the Oval on Thursday and Old Trafford and Headingley over next weekend.
The bowling combination, as expected, reflects the perceived lack of a cutting edge in the West Indies. Darren Gough, fit again, is back and Chris Lewis is too. David Graveney reminded everyone yesterday what he had said when becoming the chairman of selectors that ``everyone starts with a clean slate'', and Lewis had been forgiven his late arrival for the Sunday of the Oval Test two years ago, his inadequate attempt to explain it and the attitude which such indiscipline appeared to convey.
The joint selection of Lewis to take the new ball and Adams to bat at three or four means no place for Ben Hollioake, the hero in the last of these matches against Australia last year. He could still easily be in England's 12 for the first Test if his form is good enough but Graveney and his three fellow-selectors, Graham Gooch, Mike Gatting and Adam Hollioake, are right to suggest that he is better off playing a prominent role for Surrey rather than being a one-day reserve for England. Against Hampshire last week Ben bowled only seven overs and scored 13, whilst bigger guns like Alec Stewart, Graham Thorpe and Alistair Brown were dominating.
Brown went out of favour after Sharjah, where he looked less commanding when the new ball moved, and despite his brilliant form this season - including two first-class hundreds - he will have to state his case again this week. It remains to be seen whether he or Maddy will open or whether they bat at five to allow the successful Nick Knight/Stewart opening partnership to continue.
With Matthew Maynard ruled out because of his thigh injury, Maddy was preferred in the end to other experienced batsmen capable of attacking or of playing an anchoring role, the obvious candidates being Nasser Hussain and Mark Ramprakash. Hussain averages only 26 in one-day internationals but his recent performances for Essex have shown a greater awareness of the need to press on and take risks.
Ramprakash has not been in the kind of form to demand a place but there is no doubt that both he and Hussain will be in the team for the first Test and both have been told that they are still in serious contention for the one-day side. Graeme Hick might have retrieved the place he hardly justified in the West Indies if he had led Worcestershire to victory with a great innings yesterday, but in nine consecutive internationals he has done too little.
There must be some unease that Lewis has been recalled at the expense of the dedicated Dougie Brown, but few will argue about Gough's recall. His Yorkshire new-ball partner, Chris Silverwood, was also in contention but sore shins counted against him. If he can maintain his start, for all the rivalry of two other young fast bowlers, James Kirtley and Melvyn Betts, and of a more experienced one in Ed Giddins, Silverwood has a good chance of a home Test debut later in the season.
Angus Fraser may be a relative carthorse in the field but his record of 40 wickets at 30 and average of 3.6 runs per over compares with Dean Headley's eight wickets at 48 and 5.27 runs per over.
The South Africns have reconsidered their plans for the internationals in the light of the shoulder injury to Roger Telemachus and it looks now as though Lance Klusener will take the new ball, with either Adam Bacher or Gerry Liebenberg playing as an extra batsman rather than Brian McMillan. Liebenberg is playing against Kent tomorrow in what is expected to be the 11 who will take the field at the Oval on Thursday.
One-Day Squad
The players (with ages and one-day international appearances);
N V Knight (Warwickshire) 28 21 A J Stewart (Surrey, wkt) 35 99 A D Brown (Surrey) 28 7 C J Adams (Sussex) 28 0 G P Thorpe (Surrey) 28 44 D L Maddy (Leicestershire) 23 0 A J Hollioake (Surrey, cap) 26 14 M A Ealham (Kent) 28 14 M V Fleming (Kent) 33 9 C C Lewis (Leicestershire) 30 51 R D B Croft (Glamorgan) 27 23 A F Giles (Warwickshire) 25 1 D Gough (Yorkshire) 27 38 A R C Fraser (Middlesex) 32 36
One-Day Itinerary
May 21: The Oval
May 23: Old Trafford
May 24: Headingley