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England have revealed an unchanged 12-man squad for the first match of the Test series against South Africa.

But England have resisted naming the same party for back-to-back Tests, allowing all-rounder Andrew Flintoff the opportunity to press his claims for a return at Headingley in the second of a four-match campaign.

While England take on Graeme Smith's South Africans for the first time in the big event of the summer, Flintoff will hope to further improve fitness and form, following six weeks on the sidelines with a side strain, against Hampshire at the Rose Bowl.

"It's plain for everybody to see where he's at: the work he has put in has been absolutely fantastic but there is bat form to consider, he will want some runs, and a few more miles in his legs as well," said Miller, of Flintoff, who sent down 34 wicketless overs in the County Championship contest against Sussex.

"We have just picked for this first Test match because obviously Fred (Flintoff) is in a situation and there is a chance for us to have another look at that.

"We are not sure where we are beyond that first Test match."

Flintoff has not played a Test since January 2007, when he oversaw the defeat in Sydney which condemned England to an Ashes whitewash, and there is no doubt he has been badly missed.

As was captain Michael Vaughan when he was forced out for a similar period through injury and his perennial right knee trouble has flared once again this week.

However, England have not name official batting cover.

"Not at this stage," Miller said. "I was with Michael yesterday and I think everything is under control with him.

"There was a kind of minor thing but we have got on top of it.

"Even so, if anything crops up, we don't need to pick players as cover because we know the people that would come in and we know where those people are."

Vaughan has played 15 consecutive Tests since returning from a fourth operation on the joint but sat out some Twenty20 action for Yorkshire last week and also showed signs of discomfort on the final day of the County Championship defeat to Durham.

Although England have been far from convincing in Test cricket in the past 12 months, they have won four of their past five matches, maintaining the same XI throughout.

It is that constant which made this week's selection meeting a straightforward one for Miller, Ashley Giles and James Whitaker.

"Consistency, that's the watchword we have preached all the way along, and we have just one two Test series against New Zealand, one away and one at home," Miller said.

"We have built up loyalty with the players and they have performed as a result."

Meanwhile, Simon Jones was included in the provisional 30-man squad for September's ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan.

Injury-prone Jones' wicket-heavy start for Worcestershire is acknowledged with a call-up - his first since injury terminated his outstanding contribution to the 2005 Ashes victory.

Pace bowlers Liam Plunkett and Sajid Mahmood, who starred in the 2006-07 Commonwealth Bank Series victory, Yorkshire all-rounder Tim Bresnan and Sussex wicketkeeper-batsman Matt Prior are all included.

It also comprises five uncapped players, most notably perhaps Darren Pattinson, Nottinghamshire's Australian fast bowler, who was born in Grimsby.

The other four are his county colleague Samit Patel, and England Lions trio James Tredwell, Graham Onions and Michael Carberry.

England squad for the first npower Test against South Africa at Lord's, which begins next Thursday:

MP Vaughan (captain, Yorkshire), AN Cook (Essex), AJ Strauss (Middlesex), KP Pietersen (Hampshire), IR Bell (Warwickshire), PD Collingwood (Durham), TR Ambrose (wicketkeeper, Warwickshire), SCJ Broad (Nottinghamshire), RJ Sidebottom (Nottinghamshire), MS Panesar (Northamptonshire), JM Anderson (Lancashire), CT Tremlett (Hampshire).

England's provisional 30-man squad for September's ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan:

TR Ambrose (wicketkeeper, Warwickshire), JM Anderson (Lancashire), IR Bell (Warwickshire), RS Bopara (Essex), TT Bresnan (Yorkshire), SCJ Broad (Nottinghamshire), MA Carberry (Hampshire), PD Collingwood (Durham), AN Cook (Essex), A Flintoff (Lancashire), SP Jones (Worcestershire), EC Joyce (Middlesex), RWT Key (Kent), SI Mahmood (Lancashire), AD Mascarenhas (Hampshire), P Mustard (Durham), G Onions (Durham), MS Panesar (Northamptonshire), SR Patel (Nottinghamshire), DJ Pattinson (Nottinghamshire), KP Pietersen (Hampshire), LE Plunkett (Durham), MJ Prior (Sussex), OA Shah (Middlesex), RJ Sidebottom (Nottinghamshire), AJ Strauss (Middlesex), GP Swann (Nottinghamshire), JC Tredwell (Kent), CT Tremlett (Hampshire), LJ Wright (Sussex).

Sporting Life / Eurosport