Strauss left out of Twenty 20 squad

Test captain Andrew Strauss has been omitted from England's ICC World Twenty20 squad.

England national selector Geoff Miller defended the decision to drop the opener, who was the top scorer in the one-day international series in the Caribbean.

"Andrew Strauss had an outstanding tour of the West Indies during a difficult winter," Miller said.

“Andrew and the selectors believe his game is better suited to Test and ODI cricket and it is for that reason he has not been selected in the preliminary 30-man squad for the forthcoming ICC World Twenty20.

“Andrew is focused on the Test and ODI format of the game despite not being included in the 30-man Twenty20 squad.

“The selectors have decided against naming a captain for the ICC World Twenty20 at this stage because we feel it is important to comprehensively review the recent tour of the Caribbean and seek input from all relevant parties including the incoming England team director who is yet to be appointed."

The 30-man squad contains the uncapped Joe Denly (Kent), Eoin Morgan (Middlesex), Graham Napier (Essex) and Adil Rashid (Yorkshire).

The panel will be cut to 15 on May 1.

England 30-man ICC World Twenty20 squad:

Kabir Ali (Worcestershire)
James Anderson (Lancashire)
Gareth Batty (Worcestershire)
Ian Bell (Warwickshire)
Ravi Bopara (Essex)
Tim Bresnan (Yorkshire)
Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire)
Paul Collingwood (Durham)
Steve Davies (Worcestershire)
Joe Denly (Kent)
James Foster (Essex)
Andrew Flintoff (Lancashire)
Steve Harmison (Durham)
Robert Key (Kent)
Sajid Mahmood (Lancashire)
Dimitri Mascarenhas (Hampshire)
Eoin Morgan (Middlesex)
Graham Napier (Essex)
Samit Patel (Nottinghamshire)
Kevin Pietersen (Hampshire)
Liam Plunkett (Durham)
Matt Prior (Sussex)
Adil Rashid (Yorkshire)
Owais Shah (Middlesex)
Ryan Sidebottom (Nottinghamshire)
Graeme Swann (Nottinghamshire)
Chris Tremlett (Hampshire)
Shaun Udal (Middlesex)
Chris Woakes (Warwickshire)
Luke Wright (Sussex)

[credit : http://www.setanta.com/uk/Articles/other-sports/2009/04/06/Cricket-Strauss-left-out-of-Twenty20-squad/gnid-47434/]