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Mark ramprakash, who topped the batting averages on the tour of Australia last winter, has been dropped from the England party who go to South Africa in October.

The Middlesex captain, who has played in England's last 18 Tests, was the one prominent casualty when the 17-man party were announced at Lord's yesterday.

David Graveney, the chairman of selectors, explained that either Ramprakash or Alec Stewart would have to stand down to make way for the new players they were keen to pick. Stewart won the vote for his skills behind the stumps and will now revert to the wicketkeeper-batsman role he has fulfilled, on and off, for a decade.

England have selected four players who have never played Test cricket and recalled another, Andrew Flintoff, who has played only two matches. The newcomers are Chris Adams, 29, the Sussex captain; Gavin Hamilton, 24, the Yorkshire all-rounder; Graeme Swann, 20, the Northamptonshire off-spinner; and Michael Vaughan, 24, the Yorkshire batsman.

``We wanted a spine of experience running through the team,'' Graveney said, alluding to Michael Atherton, Nasser Hussain and Stewart, who will bat at No 5 or No 6. He said that Ramprakash had looked tired and could benefit from the sort of rest that Graham Thorpe has given himself this winter. Thorpe announced last week that he would not be available for selection.

England's intention, said Graveney, was to ``squeeze every run out of every player'', a clear reference to their appalling batting in Australia and this summer against New Zealand. Flintoff and Hamilton are aggressive all-rounders. Vaughan is a batsman who can bowl finger spin and Swann is a spinner who can bat. Adams, who cannot really be called a young 'un at 29, won selection for his cavalier batting and his general air of purpose.

Before the team leave on Oct 26, three of the five pace bowlers in the party will have to prove their fitness. Darren Gough, Alex Tudor and Dean Headley, who have been dogged by various ailments, must convince the new coach, Duncan Fletcher, that they can withstand the rigours of a five-Test series that ends on Jan 18.