England are set to reveal which of their Academy squad will take Marcus Trescothick's place in the Ashes squad.
Middlesex batsman batsman Ed Joyce is to replace Marcus Trescothick in England's squad for the Ashes series.
Robert Key, Owais Shah and Ed Joyce are in the frame to replace Trescothick, who has flown home with a recurrence of his stress-related illness.
The 28-year-old Irishman has only played three one-day internationals and a Twenty20 match for England so far.
Coach Duncan Fletcher revealed that team management had considered flying the opener's family out to see him.
But chairman of selectors David Graveney described him as a "highly promising player" who could cover a number of batting positions.
Fletcher said: "I wasn't too happy with that, but at that point it was taken out of my hands."
Trescothick returned hom from Australia on Wednesday morning after suffering a recurrence of a stress-related illness.
Fletcher admitted that he had had concerns about Trescothick's mental state for a number of days.
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I left it to the doctor to sit and have a chat with him - and after a while, we spoke and said it was best if he does go home Duncan Fletcher
"I called for a meeting, because two days before he was feeling uncomfortable - and I just thought it was best for this tour at that stage if he went back home," said Fletcher.
"On Sunday the problem seemed to reoccur with Marcus. We had a meeting and at first we decided that maybe the best thing would be to bring his wife and kids out here early.
"On Tuesday morning I called another meeting. I was going to discuss whether he would fly back and not let his wife come out here.
"At that point - where I'd have to speak to him with a very difficult decision which I was very uncomfortable about - it was taken out of my hands.
"Marcus came off the field in the afternoon, and there was a recurrence of the problem he had in India.
"I left it to the doctor to sit and have a chat with him - and after a while, we spoke and said it was best if he does go home."
Trescothick's replacement
The three men in the frame to take Trescothick's place in the squad have far less Test experience than the Somerset man.
Kent batsman Key, 27, who played the last of his 15 Tests against South Africa at Centurion in January 2005, played in England's last Ashes series in Australia.
Middlesex's Shah, 28, scored 88 and 38 in his only Test appearance against India in Mumbai earlier this year.
Dublin-born Joyce, 28, has been capped only at one-day international level but averages more than 47 in first-class cricket.
Trescothick's replacement does not have long to acclimatise, with the first Test starting in Brisbane on 23 November.
However, it is highly likely that England will name Andrew Strauss, Alastair Cook, Ian Bell, Kevin Pietersen, Paul Collingwood and Andrew Flintoff as their top-six batsmen for the opening match.
