The Ashes: Nick Compton looks set to be left out of the Ashes squad
Andy Flower has made it clear that Nick Compton is likely to be left out of the squad for the first Ashes Test.
Last Updated: 06/07/13 4:14pm
The Ashes series starts at Trent Bridge next Wednesday but Compton, who has been captain Alastair Cook's opening partner since the first Test in India last November, is set to miss out.
The Somerset man only managed 39 runs in four innings in the two Tests against New Zealand this spring and was dropped for England's Ashes warm-match against Essex, Joe Root moving up the order to open.
Compton has responded with scores of 81 and 79 for Somerset and Worcestershire in first-class matches against Australia.
But those knocks do not appear to have earned him a reprieve, with the top six who played in the win over Essex likely to be the men who will face the Aussies.
Concern
Flower said: "We were pretty clear before this game on our team for Trent Bridge. We're clear what our squad will be and what our XI will be.
"I'm not going to talk about individuals but we're pretty clear about our XI."
Jonny Bairstow is set to fill the sixth spot in the order but there is concern that the young Yorkshire batsman has not had much time in the middle.
He did not feature in the Champions Trophy, then made 12 in a Twenty20 match for Yorkshire, before falling for 23 and 28 against Essex.
But Flower is not worried and added: "Bairstow has had what he has had, there's nothing more we can do."