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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Matthew Cooper

Michael Vaughan slams Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes' "disappointing" England squad

Michael Vaughan has accused new England coach and captain Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes of playing it "safe" after their first Test squad was announced.

Veteran seamers James Anderson and Stuart Broad were recalled, while uncapped duo Harry Brook and Matty Potts were both included in the 13-man squad. However, Vaughan has described the selections as "a little bit disappointing", particularly the omission of leg-spinner Matt Parkinson.

In his latest column for the Telegraph, Vaughan wrote: "The first Test squad picked by Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes is a little bit disappointing. I understand there are injuries and players unavailable but the attack lacks variety."

Former England captain Michael Vaughan (Philip Brown/Popperfoto/Popperfoto via Getty Images)

Jack Leach was once again preferred ahead of Parkinson as the spin option and Vaughan questioned the decision, adding: "I don't see what more Matt Parkinson has to do to be picked. Jack Leach is a great character who gives everything with bat and ball but we know his ceiling is only so high.

"As we have seen in county cricket this summer, if the ball is not moving around then you need something a little bit different and I do not see any variation in this attack. I thought Rob Key and McCullum would have gone straight to the leg spinner for that reason.

"It is an early sign that personnel may have changed in the management but the thinking is the same. They have picked an English-style attack."

The new coach and captain pairing of Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes have named their first Test squad (Mitchell Gunn/Getty Images)

Vaughan also urged England to hand a Test debut to Matty Potts as the Durham star "has that little bit of extra pace" and the likes of Jofra Archer, Mark Wood, Olly Stone and Saqib Mahmood are all out of action with injuries.

The selections of Zak Crawley, Jonny Bairstow and Ollie Pope were also questioned by Vaughan. He added: "How do they stop Zak Crawley driving moving balls from Trent Boult, Tim Southee and Kyle Jamieson? Can Jonny Bairstow find consistency at five? Can Ollie Pope at three play with control?

"I suspect England will play sensible Test cricket under McCullum and Stokes. I don't think this pairing will be as flamboyant as we think and their selections show that. They have gone safe."

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