Flintoff left out of Test squad

England will start the Test series against South Africa with the same squad that beat New Zealand 2-0 last month.

Captain Michael Vaughan is included despite being troubled by a sore right knee. But allrounder Andrew Flintoff was left off despite returning for Lancashire last month after a six-week injury layoff with a side strain.

"Andrew Flintoff has worked extremely hard to be back playing some very good cricket for Lancashire which is a credit to his determination and patience," national selector Geoff Miller said on Thursday. "The selectors are keen to see Andrew get more overs under his belt and spend some more time in the middle before recalling him to the test side.

"We're all eager to see him back playing for England but there's nothing to be gained from rushing him back until he has proved he's ready to meet the demands of Test cricket."

The first test begins 10 July at Lord's.

England squad for the first npower Test against South Africa at Lord's, which begins next Thursday:

MP Vaughan (captain, Yorkshire), AN Cook (Essex), AJ Strauss (Middlesex), KP Pietersen (Hampshire), IR Bell (Warwickshire), PD Collingwood (Durham), TR Ambrose (wicketkeeper, Warwickshire), SCJ Broad (Nottinghamshire), RJ Sidebottom (Nottinghamshire), MS Panesar (Northamptonshire), JM Anderson (Lancashire), CT Tremlett (Hampshire).

England's provisional 30-man squad for September's ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan:

TR Ambrose (wicketkeeper, Warwickshire), JM Anderson (Lancashire), IR Bell (Warwickshire), RS Bopara (Essex), TT Bresnan (Yorkshire), SCJ Broad (Nottinghamshire), MA Carberry (Hampshire), PD Collingwood (Durham), AN Cook (Essex), A Flintoff (Lancashire), SP Jones (Worcestershire), EC Joyce (Middlesex), RWT Key (Kent), SI Mahmood (Lancashire), AD Mascarenhas (Hampshire), P Mustard (Durham), G Onions (Durham), MS Panesar (Northamptonshire), SR Patel (Nottinghamshire), DJ Pattinson (Nottinghamshire), KP Pietersen (Hampshire), LE Plunkett (Durham), MJ Prior (Sussex), OA Shah (Middlesex), RJ Sidebottom (Nottinghamshire), AJ Strauss (Middlesex), GP Swann (Nottinghamshire), JC Tredwell (Kent), CT Tremlett (Hampshire), LJ Wright (Sussex).

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