The squad will be trimmed to 15 players on March 24 after the domestic Sheffield Shield final. Victorian Shane Warne will be deputy in England to new Test captain Steve Waugh.

Preliminary squad: Steve Waugh (captain), Shane Warne (vice-captain), Michael Bevan, Adam Dale, Damien Fleming, Adam Gilchrist, Jason Gillespie, Ian Harvey, Brendon Julian, Stuart Law, Shane Lee, Darren Lehmann, Stuart Macgill, Glenn McGrath, Damien Martyn, Ricky Ponting, Paul Reiffel, March Waugh, Brad Young.

England recall Atherton

LONDON: Former captain Mike Atherton was recalled to the England One-Day team today for the World Cup opening at Lord's on May 14. Atherton has not played for his country in One-Day cricket for the past two years but has been included inthe World Cup squad after England's indifferent form in Australia this year when they lost six of their last seven One-Dayers. He is selected subject to a fitness test for his long-standing back problem. England have however omitted Test vice-captain Nasser Hussain.

Squad: Alec Stewart (captain), Mike Atherton, Nick Knight, Greame Hick, Graham Thorpe, Neil Fairbrother, Andrew Flintoff, Adam Hollioake, Vince Wells, Mark Ealham, Ian Austin, Robert Croft, Darren Gough, Angus Fraser, Alan Mullally.

Karim to lead Kenya

NAIROBI: Left-handed spinner Asif Karim has been appointed captain of the Kenyan team to England. All-rounder Maurice Odumbe who had led the side at the last Cup has been deputed as vice-captain. Squad: Asif Karim (captain), Maurice Odumbe (vice captain), Steve Tikolo, Ravindu Shah, Hitesh modi, Thomas Odoyo, Kennedy Otieno, Alpesh Vadher, Martin Suji, Tony Suji, Sandip Gupta, Joseph Angara, Jimmy Kamande, Mohammed Sheikh, Deepak Chudasama. Reserves: Francis Otieno, Peter Ochieng,Lamesh Onyango, Brijlal Patel.

Australia, SA favourites

LONDON: Australia and South Africa are 3-1 joint favourites to win this year's cricket World Cup. India are way down at sixth position with 8-1 favourites.

Full odds: 3-1 Australia, SA; 5-1 England, Pakistan; 6-1 SL; 8-1 India; 9-1 West Indies; 20-1 NZ; 66-1 Zimbabwe; 500-1 Bangladesh, Kenya, Scotland.