International
Onions and Rashid to feature in season-opener
DURHAM pace bowler Graham Onions and Yorkshire leg-spinner Adil Rashid have been named in the MCC side to face Sussex in the opening game of the domestic cricket season next week.
But England international Andrew Flintoff will not be involved in the four-day fixture at Lord's.
England's selectors had made provision for Lancashire all-rounder Flintoff, 30, to play in the four-day match against the champion county in his comeback from ankle surgery.
Lancashire were concerned, however, at the prospect of Flintoff playing that match and a County Championship fixture against Surrey at The Oval in the space of ten days.
Flintoff began bowling competitively, following a fourth operation on his left ankle, in the pre-season Arabian Cricket Challenge earlier this month, and will now step up his rehabilitation in Lancashire's friendly fixtures ahead of their April 16 start.
Middlesex's Ed Joyce, one of four players with international experience in the party, will captain the side.
Joyce's county colleague Owais Shah, who was on both England Test tours without playing this winter, is also included along with another man with a point to prove, Ravi Bopara, of Essex.
The squad also contains several England Lions players, with Yorkshire all-rounder Rashid arguably the most promising.
Joyce said: "It is an honour to be asked to captain the MCC team against Sussex and it's a match I'm greatly looking forward to.
"With the spotlight on this game it's a chance for all of the guys to get some early-season form and make the England selectors sit up and take notice.
"There will be a lot of determined cricketers at Lord's and you can expect a very competitive match as a result."
* MCC squad to face county champions Sussex in a four-day game at Lords starting Thursday, April 10:
Ed Joyce (captain, Middlesex), Ravi Bopara (Essex), Michael Carberry (Hampshire), James Foster (wicketkeeper, Essex), Steven Finn (Middlesex), Arun Harinath (Loughborough UCCE and Surrey), Steve Kirby (Gloucestershire), Graham Onions (Durham), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Alan Richardson (Middlesex), Owais Shah (Middlesex), James Tredwell (Kent).
11:16am Monday 31st March 2008
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