Darren Gough and Ian Blackwell were omitted from a provisional 30-man squad for the World Cup, which will be pared down to 15 on February 15, after failing to prove that their fitness and weight were at the necessary levels.

It was also announced that Ravi Bopara, the 21-year-old uncapped Essex batsman, would be joining the one-day squad in Australia as a replacement for the injured Kevin Pietersen, although it was expected that Ed Joyce will take Pietersen’s place in the side for the match against New Zealand on Tuesday. Joyce has never had a better chance to make a name for himself.

Since retiring from Test cricket in 2003 because of a knee injury, Gough’s dream had been to make the 2007 World Cup. His ambition appeared to die late in 2005 when he was left out of the one-day side in favour of younger men, but a string of pretenders proved so indisciplined that he came back into contention by default. Late last summer, he was recalled for two ODIs against Pakistan before breaking down with a shin problem that ruled him out of the Champions Trophy.

As for Blackwell, some might have thought him just the sort of power-player required to beef up England’s anorexic-looking batting. Instead, it was decided that he just wasn’t in good enough condition. Blackwell barely played for Somerset last season after seriously injuring his left shoulder. “Darren Gough, Ian Blackwell and Tim Bresnan (who has a back injury) were not selected for this squad of 30 because regrettably they have not been able to prove that their fitness will be at a suitable level by February 15,” David Graveney, the chairman of selectors, said.

The three players were only informed shortly before Christmas that they faced fitness tests, which took place under the supervision of Craig Ranson at the national cricket centre in Loughborough in late December. It did not give them long to prepare but if they were serious about the World Cup, fitness ought to have a high priority. In the final analysis, they brought their fate upon themselves.

Gough, 36, may now retire from one-day international cricket. His performances over the past 18 months — 10 wickets at 48.8 apiece and an economy rate of 5.7 — were unsatisfactory. Judging by the current state of England’s bowling, his record of 235 wickets in 159 ODIs does not appear under imminent threat.

Once he arrives from the UK, Bopara, who is a teammate of Gough’s at Essex, will be the designated batting reserve. He was in Perth before Christmas with the national academy squad, where he impressed with his attitude and scored a half-century for the ECB Chairman’s XI in the festival match at Lilac Hill.

His record against Australian sides to date is mixed. He made 55 runs in six innings in under-19 Tests here four years ago but in 2005 took a century off the Australian touring team at Chelmsford. The idea is that he should look, listen and learn. But judging by the way this tour has gone, he would be wise to prepare for anything.

England 30-man World Cup squad: Michael Vaughan (captain, Yorks), James Anderson (Lancs), Ian Bell (Warwicks), Ravi Bopara (Essex), Stuart Broad (Leics), Glen Chapple (Lancs), Rikki Clarke (Surrey), Paul Collingwood (Durham), Alastair Cook (Essex), Jamie Dalrymple (M’sex), Andrew Flintoff (Lancs), Ashley Giles (Warwicks), Matthew Hoggard (Yorks), Ed Joyce (M’sex), Amjad Khan (Kent), Jon Lewis (Gloucs), Mal Loye (Lancs), Sajid Mahmood (Lancs), Paul Nixon (Leics), Graham Onions (Durham), Monty Panesar (Northants), Kevin Pietersen (Hants), Liam Plunkett (Durham), Matt Prior (Sussex), Chris Read (Notts), Owais Shah (M’sex), Vikram Solanki (Worcs), Andrew Strauss (M’sex), Chris Tremlett (Hants), Michael Yardy (Sussex).

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