England announce call-ups to boost ailing squad

England have confirmed that Mark Butcher, Usman Afzaal and Robert Croft have been called into the squad prior to Thursday's First Test against Australia.

Michael Vaughan (knee) and Ashley Giles (Achilles) have joined the list of players definitely ruled out of the game.

Butcher has been in sparkling form for Surrey and played the last of his 27 Tests against South Africa at Centurion in January. He has previously scored a Test century against Australia at Brisbane in 1998.

Croft is fresh from having taken 10 wickets and scored a belligerent 93 in Glamorgan's drawn game against Northants.

Usman Afzaal is a left-handed middle-order batsman and slow left-arm bowler. Long admired for his natural flair he has added discipline and consistency to his game and enjoyed an excellent 2000 season, winning a place on the A tour of the West Indies.

"We've said all along that he's one of the youngsters we've identified together with Shah and Paul Collingwood," explained chairman of selectors David Graveney.

"Usman is in prime form and whoever I've spoken to, be it other players, umpires or coaches, they have all said he's a street-fighter - he's up for a scrap."

Explaining the recall of Butcher rather than picking Shah, Graveney outlined the need for some experience in the middle-order. Ian Ward has just two caps and with Afzaal expected to make his debut at number six, and contribute with the ball, England felt that blooding more youngsters at this stage was not "appropriate."

"It's a bit like the Ramprakash situation," continued Graveney. "The concept of playing two young lads, both of whom would have been making their debut such as Afzaal, Shah or Collingwood plus Ian Ward, who has only won two caps, just didn't seem appropriate in this situation.

"We felt we needed someone who'd been there before. After a slow start to the season, he's now playing as we know he can."