The former number three batsman had a disappointing Ashes series after impressing in the West Indies, and finds himself dropped from both the Test and the one-day squads.

The other big news in the 16-man Test squad sees Durham fast bowler Steve Harmison omitted from the squad in favour of his county colleague, Liam Plunkett, who last played for England in 2007.

"Stephen Harmison has not been included in the Test squad," said ECB National Selector Geoff Miller, "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.

"Liam Plunkett has worked hard to improve all aspects of his game since he last played for England and his selection is reward for consistently putting in strong performances for Durham both with bat and ball."

In other news, one-day star Luke Wright may make his Test debut, replacing the now-retired Andrew Flintoff as all-rounder.

Wicketkeeper Steven Davies has been called up as injury cover for Matthew Prior, while Kevin Pietersen is named in the squad despite concerns over his fitness for the tour because of an Achilles problem.

"Kevin Pietersen is making good progress with his recovery from surgery on his injured Achilles," explained Miller. "He will join up with the rest of the squad in South Africa following the first two T20 internationals and his fitness will be reassessed ahead of the one-day series.

"The retirement of Andrew Flintoff," he continued, "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."

As well as Wright and Davies, young leg-spinner Adil Rashid could potentially make his Test debut.

Alistair Cook, meanwhile, has been named vice-captain after Andrew Strauss.

The Test squad in full: Andrew Strauss (captain), Alistair Cook (vice-captain), James Anderson, Ian Bell, Stuart Broad, Paul Collingwood, Steven Davies, Graham Onions, Kevin Pietersen, Liam Plunkett, Matthew Prior, Adil Rashid, Ryan Sidebottom, Graeme Swann, Jonathan Trott, Luke Wright.

The index ended the day at 5,154.64, a rise of 45.74 points.

Fashion house Burberry was among the leading shares benefiting from positive noises coming from brokers over demand for luxury goods.

The firm ended the day up 5.55 per cent – topping the commodity stocks.

Tullow Oil rose 5.04 per cent, Kazakhmys gained 4.92 per cent, Antofagasta rose 4.64 per cent and Eurasian Natural Resources climbed 4.55 per cent.

Meanwhile, financial stocks took a hit today.

BAE Systems fell 2.64 per cent and Shire was down 2.11 per cent.

Segro fell 2.06 per cent and Vodafone dipped 1.75 per cent.

David Jones, chief market strategist at IG Index, said: "Once again the mining sector has dragged the market higher with numbers from Vedanta showing production was at maximum capacity over recent months.

"The Bank of England kept rates on hold, so no surprise there – but markets are less than clear as to which way quantitative easing may be headed in the months to come.

"With some members of the Monetary Policy Committee concerned that the most recent economic strength could just be something of a “dead cat bounce”, the Bank may still feel they need to give the UK a boost."

In New York, the Dow Joes was up 0.97 per cent to 9,819.59 at 11:53 EDT (16:53 BST), while the S&P 500 in Chicago gained 1.07 per cent.

The Warriors finished third in their pool last year despite picking up their first win on French soil by beating Toulouse 33-26.

And this season, with an improved squad, Lineen is calling for more consistency from his side.

Lineen said: "We always seem to have one or two big games in us come Heineken Cup time but you’ve got to win your home games.

"Last year the back-to-back games against Bath didn’t go according to plan but then we put in that big performance against Toulouse.

"That’s good and bad, it shows what we can do but ultimately I’d rather have those games at the beginning of the cup campaign so we can crack on from there.

"It’s been a similar story in the domestic league. We’ve had a couple of good wins and just stalled there."

Captain Alastair Kellock believes the first two games of the campaign will determine how far the Warriors can go in the competition.

The Scottish side begin by hosting Biarritz before taking on Newport-Gwent Dragons at Rodney Parade.

And Kellock said: "We’ll know a lot after the first two games. Biarritz first up will be tough and then the Dragons, who we know well because we play against them a lot.

"We want to go into the back-to-back games with Gloucester having got a good few points out of the first couple of games."

Though the international lock forward admits it will be difficult to make the knockout stages, he feels the squad is well equipped to tackle the challenge.

Kellock added: "This is the best squad of players I’ve played with at Glasgow and we’re taking steps forward.

"We need to find suitable consistency at times but we definitely have a squad of players stronger than anything I’ve ever worked with.

"The win in Toulouse last year shows that we can compete at that level. Not many teams go over there and win and we put in a fantastic performance.

"We took confidence from that and it has given us something to aim for this campaign."

The act, performed by six doctors who dubbed themselves the ‘Jackson Jive’, aired on a reunion episode of the Hey Hey It’s Saturday variety programme in Australia on Wednesday night.

US singer Harry Connick Jr was appearing as a guest judge on the show and complained on air about the offence caused by the act.

"If I knew that was going to be part of the show I definitely wouldn’t have done it," he said.

"On behalf of my country I know it was done humorously, but we’ve spent so much time trying to not make black people look like buffoons that when we see something like that we take it really to heart."

Show host Darryl Somers apologised to Connick Jr on air, but later claimed the episode had been exaggerated.

"If there were any Australians who were offended… on behalf of the show I apologise," he told Sky News. "To most Australians I think it’s a storm in a tea cup."

The doctors involved in the skit had performed the routine without controversy when they were medical students some 20 years previously.

Dr Anand Deva, a plastic surgeon based in Sydney, said the group had not meant to cause offence and admitted they would not have performed the skit in the US.

"Clearly, all of us want to apologise. I mean we have offended some people no doubt," he told a Melbourne radio station.

"So I want to say on behalf of all of us that this was really not intended… [to be] anything to do with racism at all."

The England Lions player, 28, will head to Old Trafford for the start of the 2010 County Championship campaign after choosing to leave New Road at the end of last season.

And Lancs head coach Peter Moores describing the signing as "fantastic news".

"We were keen to secure his services and are delighted he shares the same vision that we have for this great club," the former England coach explained.

"Not only is he a quality cricketer but has all the attributes and characteristics we look for in a person.

"We look forward to seeing Stephen play an important role in the future success of the team."

Moore has a first-class average of more than 40 and a Twenty20 average of 25.

And he said he is keen to join Lancashire and hopes to fire the club to domestic success in all forms of the game.

"To join a club of Lancashire’s stature is a fantastic opportunity for me at this stage in my career," he explained.

"I am confident that the club will provide me with the platform to grow and develop as a player and person.

"I look forward to being a part of the club’s future development, and will strive to contribute in everyway I can to the success of the team on and off the field."

Shah has been England’s leading run-scorer in one-day internationals for the past few years and scored a scintillating 98 against South Africa in the ICC Champions Trophy, but he has not been included in the 16-man touring squad for the one-day series.

Ravi Bopara has also been dropped, but opening batsman and new vice-captain in Test matches Alistair Cook makes a return to one-day international cricket after nearly a year’s hiatus.

Jonathan Trott has also been given a chance in the 50-over form of the game, having made a massive contribution on his Test debut and also impressing in county Twenty20 matches.

"Alistair Cook has shown great determination to improve his one-day game this summer, made runs at domestic level in both 50-over and T20 cricket and the selectors believe now is the right time to reintroduce him to our one-day side," said ECB National Selector Geoff Miller.

"Likewise, Jonathan Trott has made an immediate impact in our Test side and has also shown through his performances at domestic level that he has the talent and temperament to succeed in the shorter forms of the game.

"Sajid Mahmood is another player who has had a taste of international cricket before," continued Miller, "and he will be equally keen to make an impression in the one-day arena after continuing to show good form with Lancashire."

"Ravi Bopara and Owais Shah will, of course, be disappointed not to be included in either squad but they are both high-class players and will remain in the selectors’ thoughts as we go forward."

The one-day squad in full: Andrew Strauss (captain), James Anderson, Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Paul Collingwood, Alistair Cook, Joe Denly, Sajid Mahmood, Eoin Morgan, Graham Onions, Kevin Pietersen, Matthew Prior, Adil Rashid, Graeme Swann, Jonathan Trott, Luke Wright.

In his leader’s speech at the close of the Conservative party conference Mr Cameron said the Tories would "move society forward" and "rebuild responsibility" in Britain.

In an at times deeply-personal address Mr Cameron accepted that an incoming Tory government would face a tough test, including "painful" cutbacks in public spending.

But he insisted there were "reasons to believe". "Yes it will be a steep climb," he said. "But the view from the summit will be worth it."

Mr Cameron’s voice briefly caught as he discussed the past year, which saw the death of his six-year-old son Ivan.

"When such a big part of your life suddenly ends nothing else – nothing outside – matters," he said. "It’s like the world has stopped turning and the clocks have stopped ticking. And as they slowly start again, weeks later, you ask yourself all over again: do I really want to do this? You think about what you really believe and what sustains you.

"I know what sustains me the most. She is sitting right there and I’m incredibly proud to call her my wife."

In a mission statement-like speech that saw Mr Cameron explain why he wanted to be prime minister, he linked his own family experiences to several commitments, notably to the NHS.

"My family owes so much to the National Health Service," he said. "No, it is not perfect. But I tell you, when you’re carrying a child in your arms to accident and emergency in the middle of the night and don’t have to reach for your wallet it’s a lot better than the alternative."

Mr Cameron made several announcements about the makeup of an eventual Tory government, confirming an elevation for outspoken former chief of the general staff General Sir Richard Dannatt to become a defence adviser, and former leader Iain Duncan Smith becoming "responsible in government for bringing together all our work to help mend the broken society".

The Tory leader, whose voice rarely rose above a normal level throughout and did not attempt to provoke a laugh from the audience once, began by praising the role of British troops in Afghanistan, pledging to deliver the equipment they need for the conflict.

A major theme of the speech was cutting back on Labour’s big government approach.

"Labour say that to solve the country’s problems, we need more government," he told delegates.

"Don’t they see? It is more government that got us into this mess," he added, linking an expansion of government to broken politics, economy and society.

On benefits he said: "In welfare, big government has failed people in a big way. There are two million children in Britain growing up in homes where no-one works. Two million.

"That is the highest in Europe. It is one in six children in our country. We have to break this cycle of welfare dependency."

The other major themes of the 56-minute speech were family, community and country, as well as the need to cut the public spending deficit created by Labour.

"Next year, Gordon Brown will spend more money on the interest on our debt than on schools," Mr Cameron said. "More than on law and order, more than on child poverty.

"So I say to the Labour party and the trades unions just tell me what is compassionate, what is progressive about spending more on debt interest than on helping the poorest children in our country?"

He pledged to re-establish the link between earnings and the state pension, abolished by Margaret Thatcher, and combat the high tax rates on the lowest earners.

On society Mr Cameron said: "Why aren’t we building homes with enough room for a family to sit round a table and actually eat a meal together?

"It’s about our culture. Why do so many magazines and websites and music videos make children insecure about the way they look or the experiences they haven’t even had?

"And it’s about our society. We give our children more and more rights, and we trust our teachers less and less. We’ve got to stop treating children like adults and adults like children."

Unveiling his vision of Britain under a Tory government, Mr Cameron concluded: "If you put in the effort to bring in a wage, you will be better off. If you save money your whole life, you’ll be rewarded. If you start your own business, we’ll be right behind you. If you want to raise a family, we’ll support you. If you’re frightened, we’ll protect you.If you risk your safety to stop a crime, we’ll stand by you. If you risk your life to fight for your country, we will honour you."

Of the Royal Mail staff who balloted, 76 per cent of staff said yes to strike action.

The news follows a series of regional strikes which have caused a backlog of millions of letters.

Postal workers voted three to one in favour of action, with more than 60,000 out of 80,000 workers voting to strike.

Commenting on the vote, CWU deputy general secretary, said: "If we don’t take a stand now then you will see postal services in the UK destroyed forever.

"We are calling on the government to take decisive action. What we want to see is that this company moves forward.

"We will be working hard to resolve this before a national strike takes place.

"There is a window of opportunity for the employer. We are urging for them to meet with us before a national strike takes place."

Exit polls earlier showed as many as 70 per cent of postal workers have backed the union’s call for a strike in their dispute over pay and work practices. The strike could start as early as next week and last for several days.

Royal Mail’s operations director, Paul Tolhurst, told the BBC that the Royal Mail wanted to keep talking to the CWU: "The union is constantly demanding that we halt the changes we are making. But we have completed our changes for this year, so there is a clear opportunity for the union to stop striking."

But the CWU general secretary Billy Hayes has said change is necessary.

"It has come to this because of the management of Royal Mail’s and the government’s refusal to engage the workforce on modernising the company," he said.

Recent strikes has meant thousands could face penalty charges for late bill payments, and the backlog is so bad the Christmas post could be effected.

The union has to give Royal Mail seven days’ notice of any strike, meaning industrial action could start next Thursday.

Consisting of the now traditional five Test matches, the series will start at the Gabba in Brisbane on November 25th before heading to Adelaide, Perth and Melbourne and ending at the SCG in Sydney with the New Year Test.

The match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in 2010 will also continue a tradition in beginning on Boxing Day and finishing on December 30th.

England, who will go down under as the holders of the famous urn after this summer’s 2-1 series win, are set to warm up by playing three first-class matches prior to the first Test and a further first-class game between the second and third Test matches.

ECB chief executive David Collier described the recent Ashes series in England as "the sporting highlight of the summer", adding that the 2010/11 series "promises to be a great contest".

"I am sure many thousands of England cricket fans will be eager to purchase tickets when they go on sale and get behind the team in Australia," he added.

Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland said he was looking forward to another thrilling contest between world cricket’s biggest rivals.

"Australian cricket fans always love an Ashes series and demand for tickets is going to be strong, so it is important to put the dates in diaries now," he said.

"We also expect to have a lot of UK fans here again.

"I know we have only just finished an Ashes series in England but I also know that the Aussie players – and Australian cricket in general – are already thinking about the Ashes series down under which starts in just over 12 months.

"Australia has a very good Ashes record at home and I’m hopeful that will continue next summer and we can bring the Waterford Crystal urn back to Australia."

The schedule for the one-day series is yet to be announced, although fans are keen to see a return to the format used in the 2005 and 2006/07 Ashes tours when the less prestigious one-day matches took place before the Tests.

However, it seems from the dates announced the limited-overs games will again follow the five-day matches in the same format as this year’s series in England.

Full list of dates for 2010/11 Ashes series in Australia:1st Test
November 25th – 29th 2010 (Brisbane)

2nd Test
December 3rd – 7th 2010 (Adelaide)

3rd Test
December 16th – 20th 2010 (Perth)

4th Test
December 26th – 30th 2010 (Melbourne)

5th Test
January 3rd – 7th 2011 (Sydney)

The 24-year old has recently been named Championship Player of the Year after leading his side to the league leader’s shield and victory in the Championship’s Grand Final victory over Halifax.

Ellis began his career with Hull KR and played an integral part in their National Rail Cup victory in 2005 and their promotion to the Super League a year later.

Ellis said, “I’ve had a great few years with Barrow and feel I am now ready to step up to the next level and play Super League with Harlequins.

“This will be a new chapter in my career and I’m really excited about moving to London and starting training with the coaches and players.”

After a poor finish to their Super League campaign, Harlequins coach Brian McDermott is confident Ellis will be a positive addition to his squad.

McDermott said, “Andy is a quality player and has an outstanding season at Barrow winning the Championship Grand Final and being named Player of the Year.

“We’re always in the market for quality players and Andy definitely fits into that category.”

Ellis joins Ryan Esders, Oliver Wilkes and Matt James in signing for Harlequins Rugby League for the 2010 season.