England put duo's return on hold

England are unchanged for the 1st Test with South Africa but Andrew Flintoff and Simon Jones are in the one-day Champions Trophy squad.

Looking to the upcoming series with the Proteas, which gets underway at Lord's next Thursday, July 10, the selectors opted to name the same 12-man squad to the one that took part in the 2-0 series win against New Zealand.

Captain Michael Vaughan passed a fitness test on a knee injury picked up playing for Yorkshire on Tuesday to maintain his place in the side.

Looking further ahead to September's Champions Trophy, the selectors named both Flintoff and Jones in the preliminary 30-man squad.

Flintoff has not played a Test for 18 months due to ankle problems, while a side strain hampered his comeback hopes in the recent series against New Zealand. He has enjoyed some good form with Lancashire, but the selectors do not want to rush him back to face South Africa.

England selector Geoff Miller said: "We're all eager to see Flintoff back playing for England but there's nothing to be gained from rushing him back until he has proved he's ready to meet the demands of Test cricket."

Meanwhile former Glamorgan fast bowler, Jones, who has now joined Worcester, has not played international cricket since the fourth Ashes Test in 2005, after a myriad of injuries. However he has been back in great wicket-taking form and is also being eased back into international cricket.

Nottinghamshire fast bowler Darren Pattinson, a 29-year-old Australian who holds a British passport, is one of the surprise inclusions to the Champions Trophy squad which will be reduced to 15 by August 11. England's first match of the tournament is against Sri Lanka in Karachi on September 14.