Profile: Udal back in the fold

England have named four uncapped players including veteran Hampshire spinner Shaun Udal in their 17-man Test squad for the tour of Pakistan.

The others are Hampshire's Chris Tremlett, off-spinner Alex Loudon from Warwickshire and Sussex's Matt Prior, while James Anderson also travels.

Prior goes as back-up keeper in place of Chris Read, while Udal displaces Gareth Batty as second spinner.

Darren Gough is not in the one-day squad after he asked to be rested.

But there is a place for Liam Plunkett, a 20-year-old bowling all-rounder who plays for Durham.

The next step will be trying to get a regular place BBC Wear: Plunkett interview

Chairman of selectors David Graveney said a number of spinners were considered, including Graeme Swann, Batty and Richard Dawson, before deciding on Udal, who played the last of his 10 one-day internationals in 1995.

"Udal is a guy who has been involved in county cricket for a long time," said Graveney of the 36-year-old off-spinner, whose 36 Championship wickets this season have cost 20 runs each.

"Spinners can play at that sort of age and statistics will show that Udal by far is the performance bowler at the present time, which is why we want him to go."

Loudon, an England Under-19 captain six years ago, is an off-spinning all-rounder who has added the 'doosra' to his repertoire since leaving Kent last year, primarily because of a lack of opportunities. His Championship haul this season is 26 wickets at 41.

Prior is the type of player that fits into team structure and batting is a relevant factor England selector David Graveney More England squads reaction Jonathan Agnew's verdict

The Test squad contains all 12 of the players who guided England to a 2-1 win against Australia in the Ashes, including injured bowler Simon Jones and his replacement for the fifth Test, batting all-rounder Paul Collingwood.

One player who had been tipped to travel, Nottinghamshire keeper Read, is handed the consolation of a place in the Academy squad, where he is joined by Batty and Robert Key.

Graveney said Read had lost out to Prior on batting grounds, despite the latter averaging 11 runs fewer per innings than his rival in the Championship this season..

"If you draw on the stats, Prior's frequency of scoring hundreds is superior to Read," said Graveney.

"He is the type of player that fits into team structure and batting is a relevant factor."

Udal has played well this season but is not exactly a great prospect for the future From W Have your say on TMS

In the one-day squad Vikram Solanki is given another chance to impress, while Gough's decision not to travel looks to have handed Plunkett an early chance to shine on the international stage.

The Durham bowler will spend the first part of the tour, while England are playing the Test series, with the Academy in Loughborough.

He will be joined there by exciting young Essex batsmen Alastair Cook and Ravi Bopara, plus prolific Sussex batsman Michael Yardy and the Middlesex pair of Ed Joyce and Owais Shah, who have both enjoyed fine summers.

England arrive in Pakistan on 26 October, with the first Test, in Multan, beginning on 12 November.

England's tour itinerary

The first of the five ODIs, which follow the three-match Test series, starts on 10 December.

Meanwhile, a total of 12 players have been awarded 12-month ECB contracts.

They are Michael Vaughan, Ian Bell, Collingwood, Ashley Giles, Andrew Flintoff, Matthew Hoggard, Stephen Harmison, Geraint Jones, Simon Jones, Kevin Pietersen, Andrew Strauss and Marcus Trescothick.

England Test squad: Michael Vaughan (captain), James Anderson, Ian Bell, Paul Collingwood, Andrew Flintoff, Ashley Giles, Stephen Harmison, Matthew Hoggard, Geraint Jones, Simon Jones, Alex Loudon, Kevin Pietersen, Matthew Prior, Andrew Strauss, Chris Tremlett, Marcus Trescothick, Shaun Udal.

England one-day squad: Michael Vaughan, James Anderson, Paul Collingwood, Andrew Flintoff, Ashley Giles, Stephen Harmison, Geraint Jones, Simon Jones, Kevin Pietersen, Matthew Prior, Liam Plunkett, Vikram Solanki, Andrew Strauss, Chris Tremlett, Marcus Trescothick.

England Academy squad: Gareth Batty (Worcestershire), Ravi Bopara (Essex), Stuart Broad (Leicestershire), Rikki Clarke (Surrey), Alastair Cook (Essex), James Dalrymple (Middlesex), Steven Davies (Worcestershire), Mark Footitt (Nottinghamshire), Ed Joyce (Middlesex), Robert Key (Kent), Sajid Mahmood (Lancashire), Liam Plunkett (Durham), Chris Read (Nottinghamshire), Owais Shah (Middlesex), Tom Smith (Lancashire), Luke Wright (Sussex), Mike Yardy (Sussex).