Graham Thorpe and Darren Gough have both been selected in England's 16-man squad to tour Australia. Gough is included with the proviso that he must prove his fitness ahead of departure, while Thorpe returns after a complete break from the game to spend more time with his young children following the break-up of his marriage.

"Graham Thorpe has had to cope with a difficult period in his personal life and the selectors talked at length - both with Graham and among ourselves - about this winter's programme and how he will cope with being away from home for a long period," said the chairman of selectors, David Graveney.

"What impressed us all was Graham's determination to get back into the Test arena. His desire to play international cricket is as strong as ever, he remains one of our best batsmen and, as selectors, we are convinced that England will only be the stronger with a fully fit and committed Graham Thorpe in the tour party."

There are also places for Simon Jones and Steve Harmison, the two fast bowlers who each showed potential during the Test series against India this summer. Andrew Caddick and Matthew Hoggard complete a five-man pace attack, while Andrew Flintoff is the one all-rounder selected.

"In choosing the make-up of this squad, we have opted for five pace bowlers, two spinners and one all-rounder," Graveney said. "Reflecting on the team's performances this summer, we have been mindful of the need to strengthen our ability to bowl sides out twice and give ourselves a greater chance of winning matches.

"Simon Jones and Stephen Harmison are both terrific prospects who should find the conditions in Australia to their liking and their inclusion will create genuine competition for places in the pace bowling department."

Alex Tudor misses out following a disappointing display in the final Test against India, as does the Derbyshire captain Dominic Cork and Yorkshire's Craig White.

"We will continue to monitor the fitness of Andrew Flintoff, Darren Gough, Simon Jones and Michael Vaughan in the run-up to departure, but at this stage we are confident that all four will be fit and available to tour," Graveney said.

"Alex Tudor has been included in the National Academy Squad rather than the Test squad because we have concerns about his strength and stamina and want him to concentrate on these areas this winter."

All the batsmen who played in the final Test against India are selected, but there is no place for Kent's Robert Key, who played twice against India following Marcus Trescothick's thumb injury.

Alec Stewart is included for his fourth trip down under, and Ashley Giles will continue to lead England's spin attack. The last two places go to the two players who made their Test debuts in the same game on last winter's tour of India. Essex's James Foster is included as Stewart's understudy, alongside the Yorkshire off-spinner Richard Dawson.

Nasser Hussain is one of nine players to be given 12-month ECB contracts. Mark Butcher, Andrew Caddick, Andy Flintoff, Ashley Giles, Matthew Hoggard, Alec Stewart, Marcus Trescothick and Michael Vaughan are the others.

Squad: N Hussain (Essex, capt) Age 34 Tests 75, ME Trescothick (Somerset) 26 26, MP Vaughan (Yorkshire) 27 23, MA Butcher (Surrey) 30 45, GP Thorpe (Surrey) 33 77, JP Crawley (Hampshire) 30 34, A Flintoff (Lancashire) 24 21, AJ Stewart (Surrey, wkt) 39 122, JS Foster (Essex, wkt) 22 6, AF Giles (Warwickshire) 29 18, RKJ Dawson (Yorkshire) 22 3, D Gough (Yorkshire) 31 56, AR Caddick (Somerset) 33 57, MJ Hoggard (Yorkshire) 25 15, SJ Harmison (Durham) 23 1, SP Jones (Glamorgan) 23 1.

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