Brown's form for Surrey seldom dropped below outstanding, however, and his two centuries in three days this week could not have come at a better time.
Significantly, too, England now plan to play him in the middle order, rather than as an opener, in the hope that he either revives a faltering innings or finishes off a promising one.
The one complete newcomer in today's squad is Durham's Paul Collingwood, who will be 25 tomorrow. A batsman who also bowls, Collingwood made huge strides during the winter while playing club cricket in Australia.
As for Hick, there appears to be little chance of him making the 2003 World Cup. Graveney's telephone call, assuring him he could still be "in the shake up", will have come as little consolation.
Hussain, Craig White, Ashley Giles and Andrew Flintoff were all discounted from this squad because of injury problems. But the news on Hussain's broken thumb is encouraging enough to suggest he should be playing again for Essex well before the first Ashes Test.
