Monty Panesar and Chris Tremlett have been recalled to England's squad for this winter's Ashes series in Australia.

Left-arm spinner Panesar hasn't played for England since his rearguard heroics at Cardiff in the opening match of last summer's Ashes series, and Tremlett won the last of his three caps in 2007.

Panesar endured a torrid year in 2009, but a move to Sussex seemed to reinvigorate him as he claimed 52 wickets to help the south-coast county return to the top flight.

Tremlett has also benefitted from a winter move - from Hampshire to Surrey - and joins Stuart Broad and Steven Finn in an England pace attack not short on height.

All-rounder Tim Bresnan is also included in the party, but there's no place in the main squad for his Yorkshire team-mate Ajmal Shahzad who has to be content with a place in the Performance Squad that will be in Australia during the first three Ashes Tests.

James Tredwell, who made his Test debut in Bangladesh earlier this year, also misses out but is part of the back-up squad. Leg- spinner Adil Rashid is overlooked entirely despite another impressive season for Yorkshire in which he took 57 County Championship wickets with Hampshire youngster Danny Briggs preferred in the Performance Squad.

Ravi Bopara is another high-profile absentee from the squad lists, but elsewhere there are few surprises.

The seven specialist batsmen largely picked themselves, with Eoin Morgan's return to form at the back-end of the one-day series against Pakistan particularly well-timed, while one-day keeper Steve Davies has done enough to be named as Matt Prior's understudy. He is the only member of the squad uncapped at the highest level.

James Anderson joins Finn, Broad, Tremlett and Bresnan as the fast-bowling options while England's cricketer of the year Graeme Swann will lead the bowling attack.

ECB National Selector, Geoff Miller, said: "We believe we've selected an outstanding Test squad for what will be a fiercely contested Ashes series in Australia. In order to retain the Ashes we will need to play to a very high level and we believe we've selected a squad to do just that.

"Clearly there are always difficult decisions to make when selecting an England squad and this Ashes squad was no different. We feel that Chris Tremlett's inclusion will add a real threat of pace and bounce to our bowling attack given the conditions in Australia. Chris will be vying for a place in the final team amongst a confident attack including James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Tim Bresnan and Steven Finn.

"We feel that following an excellent season with Sussex Monty Panesar deserves his opportunity to assume the role as England's second spinner behind Graeme Swann. Monty has gone away and worked on his bowling since his last England appearance and he continues to be an attacking threat with the ball in his hand.

"In terms of the second wicketkeeper's role behind Matt Prior, Steven Davies has shown what he is capable of with Surrey and England this year, his glovework and batting have continued to reach new levels.

"There is real competition for places in terms of the batsmen with a number of excellent candidates vying for selection for the first Test. Each batsman brings something different to the squad but all posses the ability to significantly contribute to a winning England team.

England captain, Andrew Strauss, said: "I am excited by the Test squad we have selected for the upcoming Ashes series as I firmly believe we have a number of match winners across all areas of the squad.

"It's exciting to have the Ashes as our sole focus from this point on and I know every member of this Ashes squad will be relishing the challenge of retaining the Ashes in Australia.

"To captain England in an Ashes series Down Under is a huge honour and something I am looking forward to with enormous anticipation. We realise the challenge ahead of us in Australia but it is a test we welcome and look forward to meeting head on."

Yorkshire keeper-batsman Jon Bairstow gets a Performance Squad spot, as do his county team-mates Andrew Gale and Adam Lyth, while Liam Plunkett and Chris Woakes join Shahzad as potential fast-bowling back-up to the main party.

The England Performance Programme will be based in Brisbane from November 13 where the team plays a four-day match against a Queensland XI (November 25-28) before relocating to Perth on November 29 to play a Western Australia XI (December 7-10). The EPP will remain in Perth for the lead up to the third Ashes Test before departing for the UK on December 16.

Finn and Jonathan Trott have also been handed full central contracts for the first time, though Morgan remains on an incremental deal with the likes of Bopara, Luke Wright and Mike Yardy.

Ashes squad: Andrew Strauss (captain, Middlesex), Alastair Cook (Essex), James Anderson (Lancashire), Ian Bell (Warwickshire), Tim Bresnan (Yorkshire), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Paul Collingwood (Durham), Steven Davies (Surrey), Steven Finn (Middlesex), Eoin Morgan (Middlesex), Monty Panesar (Sussex), Kevin Pietersen (Hampshire), Matt Prior (Sussex), Graeme Swann (Nottinghamshire), Chris Tremlett (Surrey), Jonathan Trott (Warwickshire).

Central contracts: Andrew Strauss (Middlesex), James Anderson (Lancashire), Ian Bell (Warwickshire), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Paul Collingwood (Durham), Alastair Cook (Essex), Steven Finn (Middlesex), Kevin Pietersen (Hampshire), Matt Prior (Sussex), Graeme Swann (Nottinghamshire), Jonathan Trott (Warwickshire).

Incremental contracts: Ravi Bopara (Essex), Tim Bresnan (Yorkshire), Eoin Morgan (Middlesex), Luke Wright (Sussex), Michael Yardy (Sussex).