England not only looked outside their development squad but also beyond the scope of most radars by recalling Ryan Sidebottom yesterday after a six-year absence. The Nottinghamshire left-arm seam bowler has been chosen in the 13 for the second npower Test match against West Indies at Headingley Carnegie starting on Friday to give the option of variety to the attack.

It could prove to be a day of returns, with Michael Vaughan due to make his first Test appearance in England since the deciding Ashes match at the Brit Oval in 2005, barring any more problems with the finger that he broke on May 3. In all, 16 Test matches have been and gone since the captain’s last five-day game, in Pakistan 17 months ago.

Andrew Flintoff has also been included in the squad, but will play only if his bowling comes through practice today – when he will turn his arm over for the first time in a week – and tomorrow. If he is unencumbered by his troublesome left heel, England face a tricky problem over who among their top six to omit.

Owais Shah, as expected, has been left out after failing twice at Lord’s, a decision telegraphed yesterday morning when he was named by Middlesex in their team to face Glamorgan in the LV County Championship today. Vaughan will bat at No 3, presumably removing any question of Andrew Strauss making way if Flintoff recovers.

Suspicion that the all-round-er’s much-discussed ankle – the subject of two operations and any number of injections – is causing more grief than England have admitted was heightened when Ian Bell said in his newspaper column that Peter Moores, the head coach, has told him that he will probably stay at No 6 for most of the summer.

England badly missed Flintoff’s steadiness in the drawn first Test. Perversely, the biggest loser from the inconsistency of Stephen Harmison and Liam Plunkett could be James Anderson, who ought to be next in line, having travelled to and from Old Trafford as cover on Wednesday and Thursday last week. For all his ability to swing the new ball and produce the occasional brilliant spell, Anderson can be as wasteful as his colleagues. With only 28 overs behind him in first-class cricket this season, he has no form to speak of.

Thus the call to Sidebottom, 29, whose economy rate of 2.39 runs per over this season may be considered at least as important as his 15 wickets at an average of 25.60. Never mind his left-handedness, Sidebottom will add variety to the attack simply with his command of line and length.

There is a certain symmetry about his recall. After taking nought for 64 in his one Test, against Pakistan at Lord’s, he was dropped for Matthew Hoggard, a Yorkshire colleague at the time. The present vacancy has arisen because of Hoggard’s strained abductor muscle, which may force him to miss the rest of the series.

David Graveney, the chairman of selectors, noted that Jon Lewis – who would have been ideal for Headingley – and Stuart Broad are injured. He did not mention Graham Onions, who began the season slowly after an impressive A tour of Bangladesh but took eight Warwickshire wickets for Durham last week, or Sajid Mahmood.

Few would doubt that Sidebottom is a more accomplished bowler now than in 2001. His figures do not reflect the number of occasions when he has beaten the bat during the past three or four seasons. Perhaps players at a higher level may find the edges that often elude championship batsmen.

As well as his natural slant, Sidebottom can move the ball away from the right-hander off the pitch and it is surprising, given the time spent by Graveney and Geoff Miller, a fellow selector, at county grounds that he has never been chosen for the academy.

Mick Newell, the Nottinghamshire director of cricket, has consistently pushed Sidebottom forward, although he was surprised when news was relayed yesterday. “Ryan will add some control, which is an area where England have been having problems,” Newell said. “He also does well against left-handers and West Indies have a few of those.”

The last left-arm fast bowler to appear anything like regularly for England was Alan Mullally, who played 19 times from 1996-2001 but was more effective in the one-day format. Mike Smith and Simon Brown played once apiece and Paul Taylor twice as England sought that variety during the 1990s, a decade of greater turnover in personnel.

If England do prefer Sidebottom’s accuracy and variety to Anderson’s flair in a four-man attack, he will finally overtake his father, Arnie, who also made a single Test appearance, at Trent Bridge against Australia in 1985. At least Arnie, right-arm but also medium-fast, marked his debut with a wicket.

Squad

M P Vaughan (Yorkshire, captain), A J Strauss (Middlesex), A N Cook (Essex), I R Bell (Warwickshire), K P Pietersen (Hampshire), P D Collingwood (Durham), A Flintoff (Lancashire), M J Prior (Sussex), S J Harmison (Durham), L E Plunkett (Durham), M S Panesar (Northamptonshire), J M Anderson (Lancashire), R J Sidebottom (Nottinghamshire).