Chris Adams today called for Sussex team-mates Mike Yardy and Matt Prior to get the nod for the World Cup.

Neither has featured in the Commonwealth Bank series in Australia.

But the Sussex skipper believes coach Duncan Fletcher should freshen up England's one-day squad even though they reached the finals against Australia, the first of which was in Melbourne today.

He would also take the experienced Darren Gough and Middlesex's Owais Shah, who seems to have disappeared off the radar despite some impressive performances last year.

Adams has a hunch that England will take three spinners to the West Indies where low, skiddy pitches could make the role of slow bowlers crucial especially if - as is the case with Yardy - they can score lowerorder runs too.

He said: "I don't think the wickets there are going to suit tall, hit-thedeck bowlers which is why Yards could be effective.

"In my view he was very unlucky not to go to Australia. He didn't have a lot of luck in the Champions Trophy in October with some of the umpiring decisions he got and the decision to bat him at four was crazy - he doesn't even bat there in county cricket.

"But I know that Fletcher likes Yards because he's a three-dimensional cricketer. And if he doesn't go to the World Cup - and I think he will - then he will play international cricket again."

The same could be said of Prior, who played the last of his 12 ODIs nearly a year ago in India.

Adams, who played five one-day internationals in 1998 and 1999, is not the only observer surprised that Paul Nixon is getting an opportunity in the pivotal wicketkeeper-batsman role at the age of 36.

And despite averaging just 10.87 with the bat in the Commonwealth Bank series, it would be a major surprise now if Nixon did not go to the Caribbean as first-choice.

Adams said: "Nico's a mate and I can see why Fletcher likes him. He's ultra-fit, very noisy and the sort of up and at 'em character every team needs. Also, his batting is unorthodox.

I think Fletcher's judgement is that Matty is not quite ready yet. As a batsman, he would get into any county's top five and we have all seen what an explosive hitter he is.

"He didn't do as well as he would have liked when he opened in India last year and perhaps he needs to play a different role. But his record is better than any of the other candidates and he must come into the equation after the World Cup.

"He's still only 24 and could have a great opportunity to establish himself in the England team, although I still think he should go to the West Indies."

Adams believes the way Liam Plunkett and Sajid Mahmood struggled to harness the new white ball against New Zealand on Tuesday strengthens his argument for the inclusion of Gough.

Gough's international career appeared to be over when he was overlooked for the Commonwealth Bank series after failing a fitness test.

But as well as vast experience - he has played 159 ODIs - Gough still has a lethal change of pace and the best yorker in county cricket.

Adams said: "If being 36 is no barrier for Nico then why should it be for Darren? There is no one better in this country at the start and end of an innings than Goughy.

"He still has the ability to blow away the best top order batsmen with the white ball and even if it isn't happening for him then he could come back after 30 overs or so when it's starting to reverse."

Adams makes room for Owais Shah but it's Middlesex team-mate Ed Joyce who has impressed him more in Australia.

"I've played a lot against Ed and he's got that something which you can't coach. He reminds me a lot of Ian Ward.

"If you at his record, he hadn't done as well as Matt Prior did when he opened but then fate played its hand.

"He should have been out for six against Australia a week ago but an easy catch goes down and Ed gets a hundred. Without it, there would still be a big question mark about him but he's off and running now."

England's 15-man squad will be annnounced next Wednesday.