10:28am Tuesday 2nd March 2010
GRAHAM Napier has been left out of England’s Twenty20 World Cup squad.
The Essex all-rounder, from Colchester, looked set to be named in England’s 30-man provisional squad for the tournament in the West Indies, which starts in April.
But the selectors have chosen to snub him once again, instead naming five new caps.
Current England skipper and Essex team-mate Alastair Cook is also ommitted, but Ravi Bopara has been included.
It is a huge blow for Napier, who became the world’s leading Twenty20 wicket-taker only a few weeks ago.
He enjoyed a fine winter playing for Central Districts in New Zealand, where he won the HRV Twenty20 Cup, allowing him to play in September’s Twenty20 Champions League.
But it was not enough in the eyes of the selectors, who have chosen to ignore the big-hitter.
Napier shot to fame in 2008 when he struck 152 not out off just 58 balls for Essex against Sussex, including 16 sixes.
He made the England squad for last year’s World Cup but did not play a game.
He is set to feature in this year’s Indian Premier League for Mumbai Indians — provided a security report comes back positive.
Cook’s snub is not a major surprise, but it is still a disappointment for the opening batsman, whose influence on limited-overs cricket is growing.
He was named in the recent Twenty20 party that played two matches against Pakistan in Dubai.
He showed impressive form for Essex in last season’s Twenty20 Cup, and started his reign as England captain by scoring a fluent 64 in their 50-over victory against Bangladesh in Dhaka on Sunday.
“We didn’t think Alastair was a 20-over player so consequently he wasn’t selected,” said head selector Geoff Miller.
“He knows the decision and he’s obviously very much improving in 50-overs, and that might develop his Twenty20 too.
“But there’s a dramatic difference between 50-over cricket and Twenty20.
“We don’t feel he has gone over that mark to be part of our Twenty20 squad, but that does not mean he’s out of it (for good).”
Essex wicketkeeper James Foster was in last year’s squad but is not named this time around.
England squad: Paul Collingwood (Durham, captain), James Anderson (Lancashire), Ian Bell (Warwickshire), Ravi Bopara (Essex), Tim Bresnan (Yorkshire), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Steven Davies (Surrey), Joe Denly (Kent), Steven Finn (Middlesex), Craig Kieswetter (Somerset), Michael Lumb (Hampshire), Sajid Mahmood (Lancashire), Dimitri Mascarenhas (Hampshire), Eoin Morgan (Middlesex), Graham Onions (Durham), Kevin Pietersen (Hampshire), Liam Plunkett (Durham), Matt Prior (Sussex), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Owais Shah (Middlesex), Ajmal Shahzad (Yorkshire), Ryan Sidebottom (Nottinghamshire), Graeme Swann (Nottinghamshire), James Tredwell (Kent), Peter Trego (Somerset), Jonathan Trott (Warwickshire), David Wainwright (Yorkshire), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire), Luke Wright (Sussex), Michael Yardy (Sussex).
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