The England selectors today announced their last, smallest and least important, but possibly most entertaining, touring party for the winter - the seven-man squad to play in the Hong Kong Sixes in November. There is a first call-up for Ian Blackwell, the Somerset allrounder and slow left-armer, who is 23. His Somerset predecessor, Vic Marks, had argued that Blackwell was unlucky not to make it to Zimbabwe ahead of Paul Grayson and Jeremy Snape. But there may be those who feel he is not even the No.1 one-day spinner in Somerset: in the Norwich Union League this year, he took bowled fewer overs than Keith Dutch (71.5 against 96), and took fewer wickets (12 against 16). Blackwell may enjoy the short boundaries in Hong Kong more as a batsman than a bowler.

Unable to call on players who are in the Test party for India, the selectors have built this side around their current first-choice one-day allrounders, Ben Hollioake, Andy Flintoff and Paul Collingwood. There is a consolation place for Mark Ealham, who is clearly being told that he is not forgotten despite being left out of a one-day party for the first time in five years.

A similar message is delivered to Richard Johnson, the Somerset fast bowler who spent many a Tuesday and Wednesday with the Test squad last summer, but was never wanted on a Thursday, and did not make it into the major touring parties. He should have a decent chance of getting onto the field in Hong Kong: he is the only specialist bowler in the squad.

An Australian selection committee might have given the captaincy to Flintoff, who led England Under-19 with distinction but has not always worn an air of responsibility since. David Graveney, perhaps remembering the effect that Hong Kong's nightlife had on England's footballers, has opted instead to give another lease of life to a 35-year-old, Matthew Maynard, who will not only captain the side but keep wicket as well. A brilliant natural strokeplayer for Glamorgan, Maynard suffered from nerves and the vagaries of selection in a England career which amounted to only four Tests and 14 one-dayers dotted between 1989 and 2000.

The Hong Kong Sixes, sponsored by Cathay Pacific and Standard Chartered, will take place on an artificial pitch at Kowloon Cricket Club on November 10-11. Global politics permitting, England will be up against seven other teams - Australia, India, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, plus Hong Kong and United Arab Emirates.

The teams will be split into two groups of four, with the top two from each group going through to the semi-finals. A prize of US$80,000 is on offer for the winners and US$50,000 for the beaten finalists.

Full squad
Matthew Maynard (capt, wkt) Glamorgan age 35
Andrew Flintoff Lancashire 23
Ben Hollioake Surrey 23
Paul Collingwood Durham 25
Mark Ealham Kent 32
Ian Blackwell Somerset 23
Richard Johnson Somerset 26

Manager: David Graveney

© Wisden CricInfo Ltd