Ward, Sidebottom get Test call up in England squad

London, May 2001: Surrey batsman Ian Ward and Yorkshire left-arm seamer Ryan Sidebottom received their first call-up into the Senior England squad when the 13 for Thursday's first Test of two against Pakistan at Lord's was announced here on Sunday. Both players impressed during the winter when England A (the reserve side) competed in West Indies' domestic first-class competition.

Left-hand opening bat Ward has been an important member of Surrey's back-to-back championship winning team of the last two seasons and scored three successive centuries out in the Caribbean.

Sidebottom, the son of Manchester United footballer and Yorkshire and England pace bowler Arnie, was the leading English bowler in last season's first class averages here and also enjoyed a successful tour in the West Indies.

With the rest of the squad having a familiar look, Ward has the better chance of making his debut if England decide to play an extra batsman to combat the Pakistan pace attack.

Sidebottom has come in for injured county colleague Mathew Hoggard, out with a back injury sustained in the opening match of the season . However, as England's frontline pace quarter of Darren Gough, Andrew Caddick, Craig White and Dominic Cork all selected, Sidebottom will do well to force his way in.

The England squad:

Nasser Hussain (Essex, capt), Michael Atherton (Lancashire), Marcus Trescothick (Somerset), Graham Thorpe (Surrey), Alec Stewart (Surrey, wkt), Michael Vaughan (Yorkshire), Ian Ward (Surrey), Craig White (Yorkshire), Dominic Cork (Derbyshire), Robert Croft (Glamorgan), Andrew Caddick (Somerset), Darren Gough (Yorkshire), Ryan Sidebottom (Yorkshire).