Ahmed gets Ashes vote of confidence

ASSISTANT coach Marcus Trescothick has given Rehan Ahmed a vote of confidence as the leg-spinner waits to find out if he will be part of England's Ashes squad.

- BY RORY DOLLARD

A selection panel, led by managing director Rob Key and head coach Brendon McCullum, will finalise their touring party this week, with the majority of their decisions needing little more than a rubber stamp.

One seam slot and a slow bowling backup to Shoaib Bashir are the main areas to resolve, with Ahmed firmly in contention after an impressive season at Leicestershire.

The 21-year-old, who became the youngest Englishman to play Test cricket almost three years ago, has dramatically improved his all-round offering, scoring five centuries and averaging 50 with the bat. And while he has only taken 23 first-class wickets, those scalps have come at just 19 each with a neat economy rate of 2.66.

Dependable left-armer Liam Dawson was picked ahead of Ahmed when Bashir broke a finger against India this summer, but a solitary wicket in 62 overs represented a missed opportunity to nail down the place.