Bopara gets his break for England vs West Indies

England's Test side for the series against the West Indies this spring will have a decidedly unfamiliar feel after the selectors made a statement of intent at the start of the Ashes summer by leaving out several big names - including all three batsmen thought to be fighting for the number three berth - and bringing in two uncapped bowlers.

Warwickshire's Ian Bell, former skipper Michael Vaughan and the most recent Test incumbent Owais Shah are all missing from the squad - meaning that Ravi Bopara will be given the chance to establish himself in the number three position. Bopara's prospects of an extended run in the team have also been boosted by the absence of fellow all-rounder Andrew Flintoff, who will be recovering from knee surgery during the two-Test series that starts at Lord's on May 6.

If the batting line-up is to have a new look, then the bowling attack will seem positively alien, with Durham's Graham Onions and Yorkshire's Tim Bresnan set to feature. The selectors have dispensed with the services of Steve Harmison and Ryan Sidebottom and also ignored Matthew Hoggard's claims for a recall. Instead James Anderson, in some of the best form of his life, will be promoted to main strike bowler with young Stuart Broad taking the mantle of second senior bowler. Support will come from Onions or Bresnan, or both.

As for the spinners, Graeme Swann and Monty Panesar are both in the squad - although only one is likely to play, and Swann is the man in possession. Matt Prior keeps his place behind the stumps and will probably bat at six.

The selection has an experimental and slightly risky feel, but also a forward looking one. Only three members of the squad, skipper Andrew Strauss, the man he replaced as captain, Kevin Pietersen and Paul Collingwood remain from the 2005 Ashes series. The combination of the attack-minded Bopara at three and Pietersen at four could mean fireworks, but could just as easily backfire. Bopara scored his maiden Test century on the Windies tour this year batting at six, but the Essex man remains untested at first wicket down.

In addition to being handed more responsibility as a bowler, Stuart Broad may be entrusted with the number seven spot with the bat. Bresnan's inclusion would offer some insurance, as he is also a useful lower-middle order batsman - but the issue of whether bowlers are being selected for their batting ability is still a touchy one.

The biggest gamble concerns the seam bowlers and it seems inconceivable that the quartet likely to play the first Test against the West Indies next week (Anderson, Broad, Bresnan and Onions) will also line up for the first Ashes Test in Cardiff on July 8.

But selector Geoff Miller defended the choices: "This is very exciting for the two young fast bowlers to be included in the squad for a Lord's Test match and sends a message to all county players that if they put in consistently good performances they will get recognised."

He also hinted that come July the likes of Vaughan, Bell, Harmison, Hoggard and Flintoff could be back in the reckoning, saying he wanted players "knocking on the door." It remains to be seen how hard they will have to knock to get in. ·