England selectors today announced a 13-man squad for the 1st Investec Ashes Test beginning on Wednesday July 8 at the SSE SWALEC, Cardiff, including Middlesex's Steven Finn.
Seven squad members - Moeen Ali, Gary Ballance, Jos Buttler, Adam Lyth, Adil Rashid, Ben Stokes and Mark Wood - are yet to play in a home Ashes series.
Ian Bell will be playing in his seventh consecutive Ashes series while Yorkshire leg-spinner Adil Rashid is the only player in the squad uncapped at Test level.
National selector, James Whitaker, said: “There are no huge surprises in the squad. Adil Rashid’s inclusion provides Alastair and Trevor with plenty of bowling options and the surface at Cardiff will dictate who makes the final XI.
“Within the squad there are players who have plenty of experience of Ashes cricket and that knowledge will I’m sure be useful for the players who are yet to experience a home Ashes series.
“There has been some very good cricket played so far this summer and we are aware that we will need to build on that over the next seven weeks if we are to win back the Ashes.
“On behalf of the selectors I’d like to congratulate the 13 players selected for the first Investec Test and wish them as well as Trevor all the very best for what will I’m sure be a very competitive and entertaining series.”
England squad for 1st Investec Ashes Test
Alastair Cook (Essex)
Moeen Ali (Worcestershire)
James Anderson (Lancashire)
Gary Ballance (Yorkshire)
Ian Bell (Warwickshire)
Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire)
Jos Buttler (Lancashire)
Steven Finn (Middlesex)
Adam Lyth (Yorkshire)
Adil Rashid (Yorkshire)
Joe Root (Yorkshire)
Ben Stokes (Durham)
Mark Wood (Durham)
