England risk Thorpe and Gough for Australia tour

Graham Thorpe and Darren Gough, who have both been missing from the England side this summer because of personal problems and injury respectively, are the most notable inclusions in the squad for the Ashes series in Australia this winter.

Thorpe took a complete break from cricket earlier this summer following the breakdown of his marriage, prompting speculation that the Surrey left-hander's mental state may not be ready for a tough Ashes tour. But after several meetings with the selectors over the last few weeks, they have gambled on him being ready to return and he will fly out with the rest of the squad from Heathrow on 17 October.

While the selectors may welcome his return to action, they have not insisted that Thorpe prove his fitness by appearing in one of Surrey's remaining games this season. "There's no pressure on Thorpe or Surrey to play before the end of the season," England's chairman of selectors, David Graveney, said yesterday. "He's not a contracted player so that arrangement is between Surrey and the player.

"Surrey have just won the title so it's likely to be a boisterous dressing room for the next four days and he could be in the gym, getting himself fit."

Thorpe said: "I'm hoping to play for Surrey [today]. It will be nice to have a bat in my hand again and I know that I'm going to have to work hard in the run-up to the tour because Australia is a tough place to tour.

"Last winter was a difficult time, but these things happen. I have had a lot of publicity about my problems which is perhaps why I've found it difficult to deal with."

Gough has not played a Test since losing to Australia at The Oval a year ago after being troubled by a knee problem. But the Yorkshire fast bowler, now undergoing rehabilitation at Lilleshall, has been included subject to him passing a fitness test.

Asked about Gough's fitness and that of Glamorgan fast bowler Simon Jones, who has a rib injury, Graveney said: "Everything is on target for those players to go to Australia."

Graveney said the decision to exclude the Surrey pace bowler Alex Tudor had been "a close call". The selectors had decided he would be "better off with the Academy", he said, citing "a need to work on his strength and stamina" as the reason for sending him with the emerging players for a second winter in succession.