Walcott & Lennon in England squad
Walcott & Lennon in England squad
Theo Walcott and Aaron Lennon are in England's provisional World Cup squad, but Shaun Wright-Phillips, Jermain Defoe and Ledley King miss out.
Walcott is one of only four strikers in Sven-Goran Eriksson's 23-man squad, alongside injured pair Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen, and Peter Crouch.
Darren Bent misses out, while Defoe is on a five-man standby list.
Middlesbrough winger Stewart Downing and Bayern Munich's Owen Hargreaves are other surprise inclusions.
Chelsea winger Wright-Phillips, an England squad regular this season, does not even make the standby list, which includes uncapped West Ham midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker and Crystal Palace striker Andy Johnson.
Uncapped Walcott is yet to make a first-team appearance for Arsenal and Eriksson said his decision to include the 17-year-old was a last-minute one.
"I only decided finally this morning," said the England coach, who will step down after the World Cup.
"It's a big gamble, I know it is. I am excited to see him, he's a big talent. And pace in football today is worth a lot.
"For me it's a good squad, an interesting squad. There are some new players, some young players and it is an attacking squad with a lot of pace which is necessary in a World Cup."
Asked how he came to the decision to omit the likes of Defoe and Bent in favour of Walcott, Eriksson confessed: "Probably not too logically.
"Sometimes you do it on feelings as well and I am excited about Theo Walcott."
And Eriksson's assistant Tord Grip said Walcott's lack of experience would not count against him.
"Theo is being given a chance and I think he will take it like other young players have," he told BBC Sport.
"Wayne Rooney had not played many games before he was called up. Theo has not been tested yet but he will be.
"I thought we should pick him. At his age you have no fear and you do not feel pressure."
Walcott and Crouch the only fully fit recognised strikers in the squad, with Rooney, in particular, a major doubt.
But Eriksson said: "I think Michael Owen will be fully 100% fit to train with us from Monday. Rooney, it is just to wait and hope and see.
"But Joe Cole is a striker as well so in reality we have seven defenders, nine midfielders and five strikers - it is depending on how you use Joe Cole."
Eriksson admitted it had been a difficult task informing those players who had not been selected, but added that the decision to exclude King was based on the Tottenham defender's fitness.
"This morning I talked to those players. It was sad to not pick people but we had to make a decision," he said.
"Ledley King is injured and he can't train. If you talk about centre-halves we are very well covered, so taking another one half-injured when we have so many good ones it is not a good idea."
Eriksson must name his final squad on Monday 15 May, but he has until 24 hours before England's first game on 10 June to replace any injured players.
Provisional squad:
Robinson (Tottenham), James (Manchester City), Green (Norwich); G Neville (Manchester United), Ferdinand (Manchester United), Terry (Chelsea), Cole (Arsenal), Campbell (Arsenal), Carragher (Liverpool), Bridge (Chelsea), Beckham (Real Madrid), Carrick (Tottenham), Lampard (Chelsea), Gerrard (Liverpool), Hargreaves (Bayern Munich), Jenas (Tottenham), Downing (Middlesbrough), J Cole (Chelsea), Lennon (Tottenham), Rooney (Manchester United), Owen (Newcastle), Crouch (Liverpool), Walcott (Arsenal).
Standby:
Carson (Liverpool), Young (Charlton), Reo-Coker (West Ham), Defoe (Tottenham), Johnson (Crystal Palace).
Credit - BBC Sport
