Ramprakash on England standby

Mark Ramprakash has been called into England's squad for the first match of Ashes series against Australia starting at Edgbaston on Thursday.  

Ramprakash, 31, is included as cover for Surrey colleague Graham Thorpe, whose place is in serious doubt due a strained right calf.

Yorkshire all-rounder Craig White, who missed the two-Test series against Pakistan because of back injury, returns as does Warwickshire slow left-armer Ashley Giles, also absent from the early part of England's summer campaign with Achilles tendon trouble.

Ramprakash moved across the Thames from Middlesex to Surrey in the close season hoping that the move to the top division of the county championship would enhance his England chances.

With Thorpe struggling to make the npower series opener, it looks increasingly likely that Ramprakash's international revival will restart in Birmingham.

But the selectors are keeping the options open and are awaiting the results of further tests on Thorpe, who saw a second specialist yesterday, with England physiotherapist Dean Conway reporting: "He continues to experience tightness in the calf while running and turning.

"While he has not been ruled of the Test at this stage he remains a serious doubt".

Full England squad for first Ashes Test against Australia, starting at Edgbaston on Thursday: