Tanya Aldred, just back from Zimbabwe, makes our selection for the England one-day squad England arrived back from Zimbabwe garlanded in jacaranda blossoms. They won every match with such aplomb that it even threatened to become boring.

So Zimbabwe were pretty hopeless, bitterly divided by racial quotas, practically not on speaking terms with the ZCU, and threatening to strike before the final match. But a win is a win and the selectors, when they met to pick one-day teams for India (if they ever get there) and New Zealand, needed to think very carefully about disrupting a team that built up an enviable spirit in their two weeks away.

Nasser Hussain said that one of the things he had learnt on the tour was the importance of character, and that his team had bonded so well that it felt like a county one in which players had known each other for ages. This had the ring of a veiled dig at some less adaptable characters, and Graeme Hick and Alan Mullally may find that winter closes in early tomorrow.

The batting is fairly easy to settle. Marcus Trescothick and Nick Knight have copydexed themselves to the team-sheet, as has Hussain, vastly improved as a one-day player (averaging 53 in the past 13 months, against half that before), and Graham Thorpe, who had a quiet tour but is undroppable against strong teams. If Paul Collingwood, who improved with every game, stays at five, as he would like, that means one reserve batting place.

Hussain and Duncan Fletcher will probably plump for Mark Ramprakash but that seems a waste. We know what he can do and his bowling will be nothing more than a comedy turn to the Indians. Why not take Owais Shah, who only faced two balls in Zimbabwe. He did play an exceptionally ill-judged sweep, but if England drop him now they have learnt nothing. He has exceptional talent, so why not give him a chance to show what his time being pummelled into shape by Rod Marsh in Adelaide will have taught him.

His academy partner Andy Flintoff, England's weapon of Kluseneresque destruction, should clearly go, as should Ben Hollioake, the man in possession at No. 7 and another who is working very hard at his game. Craig White, now recovered from a knee injury, won't waltz back into the team but should be able to wiggle his way into the squad as a stand-in for this bunch and the fast bowlers.

A second keeper is probably necessary for India, in which case Hegg, a champion one-day finisher, should join Foster, who had a curate's-egg time behind the stumps in Zimbabwe -- mixing some smart stumpings with clumsy catching.

Jeremy Snape was singled out for praise by Hussain, but those loopy off-breaks need to be road-tested in the real world -- and what more experienced driver than Tendulkar. As Ashley Giles is still struggling with his Achilles, the selectors should stick with Paul Grayson as the second spinner, only then can they be sure if he is wheat or chaff.

Matthew Hoggard proved himself grade-one wheat, and with Darren Gough expected to return, it will be goodbye and thanks for everything to two other Yorkshire bowlers, Chris Silverwood and Ryan Sidebottom. James Kirtley should get the call ahead of Andy Caddick to show if the six-week remedial work on his action has been successful and because he worked well with Hoggard.

This squad has got to form the basis of the 2003 World Cup team, so there seems little point in recalling Alec Stewart or Mark Ealham, devoted servants though they have been. In a tough old world, the selectors need to show that they have backbone too.

Our squad Marcus Trescothick, Nick Knight, Nasser Hussain (capt), Graham Thorpe, Owais Shah, Paul Collingwood, Andy Flintoff, Ben Hollioake, Craig White, Jeremy Snape, Paul Grayson, Jamie Foster (wk), Warren Hegg (wk), Darren Gough, Matthew Hoggard, James Kirtley.

Tanya Aldred is assistant editor of Wisden.com.

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