England bank on key duo
England have included both Andrew Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen in their provisional 30-man squad for September's Champions Trophy.
England's leading men have been dogged by fitness isses through the opening two Ashes Tests.
"The ICC Champions Trophy is an opportunity for the England one-day side to compete for a global trophy and we are confident we have the talent to make a strong claim," national selector Geoff Miller said.
"We have an exciting blend of youth and experience in this preliminary squad and we'll continue to watch the limited-overs form of all players involved over the coming month."
Flintoff, 31, has vowed to play on regardless of the pain to bring the curtain down on his Test career at the Brit Oval next month.
If he succeeds, however, there could be repercussions for his injured right knee and lengthy rest may be required in the immediate aftermath, despite his plans to continue playing limited-overs internationals.
Pietersen, meanwhile, has been pencilled in for a mid-September return following surgery on his right Achilles tendon.
The squad will be cut to 15 players by August 23, at which point the England management may be no clearer on Pietersen's expected recovery to full fitness.
Pietersen's Hampshire colleague, top-order batsman Michael Lumb, is included in a party with few surprise selections.
England provisional 30-man squad for September's Champions Trophy in South Africa: Andrew Strauss (Middlesex), James Anderson (Lancashire), Gareth Batty (Worcestershire), Ian Bell (Warwickshire), Ravi Bopara (Essex), Tim Bresnan (Yorkshire), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Paul Collingwood (Durham), Alastair Cook (Essex), Steven Davies (Worcestershire), Joe Denly (Kent), Andrew Flintoff (Lancashire), James Foster (Essex), Stephen Harmison (Durham), Ed Joyce (Sussex), Robert Key (Kent), Michael Lumb (Hampshire), Sajid Mahmood (Lancashire), Dimitri Mascarenhas (Hampshire), Eoin Morgan (Middlesex), Graham Napier (Essex), Graham Onions (Durham), Kevin Pietersen (Hampshire), Matt Prior (Sussex), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Owais Shah (Middlesex), Ryan Sidebottom (Nottinghamshire), Graeme Swann (Nottinghamshire), Jonathan Trott (Warwickshire), Luke Wright (Sussex).
