BBC SPORT | Cricket | England | Blackwell joins one-day squad

Somerset all-rounder Ian Blackwell has kept his place in England's one-day squad after impressing as an injury replacement during the ICC Champions Trophy.

Owais Shah, another late call-up for the Sri Lanka tournament, is also one of seven one-day specialists named to join the 16-man Test squad for the triangular VB Series in Australia.

There has been some concern about our bowling

David Graveney

And all-rounders Paul Collingwood and Craig White will return, subject to fitness, in a slimmed-down squad to be named prior to the start of the series on 13 December.

Blackwell hit 82 off 68 balls in the final group match against India a week ago, and picked up the wicket of Virender Sehwag with his left-arm spin.

"There is no urgency to select the full 16-man one-day squad at this stage," said chairman of selectors David Graveney.

"And, by not doing so, we are keeping our options open to be able to assess the form and fitness of the Test match players on tour.

Weak spot

White will play club cricket in Adelaide in an attempt to prove his fitness to bowl again after a side injury.

And Collingwood has been troubled by a disc bulge at the base of his neck which has caused problems in his left arm.

Paul Collingwood
Collingwood has been troubled by a neck injury
"Clearly there have been recent injury concerns over Craig White and Paul Collingwood, and all players' fitness will be monitored nearer the time as normal," Graveney added.

The series, which also involves Sri Lanka, will be played in two blocks, the first in December and the second, following the fourth and fifth Tests, in January.

It offers a final chance for England to fine-tune their side for the World Cup, as teams must name their final 15-man squad for the tournament before 1 January.

England's weak spot, Graveney conceded, is their inability to contain attacking batsmen.

India exposed that in the NatWest Series final in June and again last weekend, when they won by eight wickets.

"There has been some concern about our bowling," Graveney said.

"We could not defend 320 at Lord's, and so that is obviously an area we have to address."

England one-day specialists: Ian Blackwell, Paul Collingwood, Ronnie Irani, Nick Knight, Owais Shah, Jeremy Snape, Craig White.