England name 30-member probables squad for WC

London:

Injured fast bowler Stuart Broad and five uncapped players were named in England's preliminary 30-man squad on Saturday for next year's World Cup.

Broad was ruled out of the current Ashes series against Australia after sustaining an abdominal injury during the second Test in Adelaide but England selectors are confident the paceman will be fit for the World Cup, which begins February 19.

Jade Dernbach, Chris Woakes, Darren Stevens, Jimmy Adams and James Hildreth were the uncapped players called up and regular Test bowler Steven Finn was selected despite not having played a limited-overs international.

"We have selected a squad of players with a strong track record in limited-overs cricket, either for England or in the domestic game," national selector Geoff Miller said.

"Recent series have shown we have made progress in one-day cricket, and we will be looking to continue this form during next year's World Cup and challenge for another global title."

England won the World Twenty20 in the Caribbean this year, its first global title in an International Cricket Council tournament.

The squad will be reduced to 15 players on January 19 for the six-week tournament in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Preliminary England squad: Andrew Strauss (captain), Jimmy Adams, James Anderson, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Paul Collingwood, Alastair Cook, Steven Davies, Jade Dernbach, Steven Finn, James Hildreth, Craig Kieswetter, Michael Lumb, Eoin Morgan, Samit Patel, Kevin Pietersen, Liam Plunkett, Matt Prior, Adil Rashid, Ajmal Shahzad, Darren Stevens, Graeme Swann, James Tredwell, Chris Tremlett, Jonathan Trott, Chris Woakes, Luke Wright, Michael Yardy.