As expected, Kevin Pietersen – who is still recovering from ankle surgery but is expected to be fit – has been included along with fellow South African-born batsman Jonathan Trott, who made a century on debut in the Ashes series.

Alastair Cook has been named vice-captain for the tour but his Essex team-mate Ravi Bopara has been overlooked after a disappointing summer.
Harmison finished?

However the biggest surprise by the selectors is the decision to omit Harmison – possibly signalling the end of the paceman’s international career.

The 30-year-old made his 63rd Test appearance in the fifth and final Test of the Ashes, helping England clinch a 2-1 series victory at The Brit Oval.

He played in just two of the five Ashes matches, though, and was also in and out of the side during the winter tour of the West Indies.

Instead Plunkett, who has not played a Test since June 2007, appears to have been given the nod ahead of his Durham colleague after an excellent domestic season.

“Stephen Harmison has not been included in the Test squad because we feel his form has not been consistent enough over the past 12 months to justify a regular place in the side and we want to give an opportunity to other players to make a case for selection,” national selector Geoff Miller said.

With Andrew Flintoff now retired from Test cricket Wright is called up for the longer format of the game having become a regular in the limited overs set-up.

Davies, who has just moved from Worcestershire to Surrey, has fought off competition from James Foster and Geraint Jones, heavily tipped for a recall, to back up first-choice gloveman Matt Prior.

Rashid is now the second spinner in place of Monty Panesar, who recently signed a deal to play for South African franchise the Lions this winter after losing his central contract with the England and Wales Cricket Board.

Great potential

“We are delighted to welcome Steven Davies and Luke Wright into the Test squad for the first time,” Miller said.

“Steven is a player of great potential who has been a consistent performer for his county and he will act as understudy to Matt Prior in South Africa.

“The retirement of Andrew Flintoff has created a vacancy for an all-rounder in the squad and while we do not see Luke Wright as a like-for-like replacement for Andrew, we are excited by the way in which his all-round game continues to develop and believe he can make an impact at Test level.”

On Pietersen’s fitness, he added: “Kevin Pietersen is making good progress with his recovery from surgery on his injured Achilles.”

England’s squad arrive in South Africa on November 1 for the one-day leg of the tour before beginning preparations for the four-Test series against the Proteas on December 9 with the first of two warm-up fixtures against an SA Airways XI in East London.

England Test squad for tour to South Africa:
Andrew Strauss (Middlesex) captain, Alastair Cook (Essex) vice-captain, James Anderson (Lancashire), Ian Bell(Warwickshire), Stuart Broad Nottinghamshire), Paul Collingwood (Durham), Steven Davies (Surrey), Graham Onions (Durham), Kevin Pietersen (Hampshire), Liam Plunkett (Durham), Matt Prior (Sussex), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Ryan Sidebottom (Nottinghamshire), Graeme Swann (Nottinghamshire), Jonathan Trott (Warwickshire), Luke Wright (Sussex).