England earmark lucky 13

Test rivals Kevin Pietersen and Ian Bell are the leading names among England's latest list of likely men.

Pietersen and Bell have made themselves authentic candidates to play in this summer's first Test, against Bangladesh, which starts three weeks today, and both could figure in the Ashes series.

But whether or not either batsman makes it into Michael Vaughan's XI at Lord's on 26 May they are already confirmed by England as players wanted for the long haul.

Ideally, coach Duncan Fletcher and the other selectors would like to put their top 25 players on yearlong central contracts, as is the case in Australia.

For the time being, though, finances limit England to having direct control over a band of 12, led by Vaughan and including all the main performers from last winter's Test triumph in South Africa.

By tonight, however, a further 13 names will have been added to the elite dozen to form a ' Development Squad' regarded by Fletcher and Co as being genuine contenders for this summer and beyond.

In many ways, today's move is symbolic rather than deeply significant.

Unlike the contracted 12, members of this new 'baker's dozen' will continue to be paid by their counties, rather than the ECB, and will not come under Fletcher's direct control.

But it will reinforce the view that players like Pietersen, Bell and, presumably, Rob Key, Jon Lewis and Paul Collingwood are next in line.