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Nasser Hussain was duly welcomed back into England's World Cup 15 shortly before last night's deadline for the official nomination of teams. He replaces the injured Mike Atherton. The international teams director, Simon Pack, said that he hoped Hussain could fly out to Lahore today to join the remaining 14 players preparing for next week's triangular tournament in Sharjah.

Hussain, England's vice-captain in Australia and Alec Stewart's probable successor as captain, missed selection in the first place partly because he lost concentration in the first of the one-day finals against Australia in Sydney in February. His 58 had taken England close to victory but he allowed himself to be riled by Shane Warne and was stumped attempting an over-ambitious stroke, whereupon what had seemed a comfortable run-chase became desperate and failed.

His recent Test record proves, however, that this was untypical of the mature and calculating batsman Hussain has become. Moreover, his brilliant fielding in any position will sharpen up what looked likely to be a relatively pedestrian side, assuming he can force his way into the eleven.

Hussain was preferred to Mark Ramprakash as Atherton's replacement after consultations between the England selectors. The Middlesex captain, though, will be next in line if old injuries to Graham Thorpe or Neil Fairbrother recur.