Lancashire all-rounder Flintoff, who will also captain England in next month's Champions Trophy one-day tournament in India, has not played international cricket since the end of the home Sri Lanka Test series in June because of a left ankle injury.

In his absence Strauss led England in a 5-0 one-day series defeat by Sri Lanka, a 3-0 Test series win against Pakistan and a drawn 2-2 one-day campaign against Pakistan concluded Sunday.

Flintoff, 28, and Strauss were vying for the captaincy in the absence of last year's Ashes-winning skipper Michael Vaughan, who has been ruled out of the Australia tour with a recurrence of a longstanding knee injury.

"We have had to make a very tough decision in choosing between Andrew Flintoff and Andrew Strauss for the captaincy and we were fortunate to have two such outstanding candidates available to us in Michael Vaughan's absence," said England's chairman of selectors, David Graveney.

"Ultimately, we took the view that Andrew Flintoff had demonstrated excellent leadership skills during a difficult tour of India earlier this year (where England achieved a creditable 1-1 Test series draw), that he was the man in possession and deserved a further opportunity to continue as captain."

Flintoff will lead an unprecedented large party to Australia. As well as the 16-man squad, a further 14 players will be based in Perth on standby.

The captain, the hero of last year's 2-1 Ashes success, is not the only currently unfit player in the squad. Left-arm spinner Ashley Gules is included despite having been ruled out for the whole of this English season with hip and hernia injuries, although his inclusion is subject to him proving his fitness before the team arrive in Australia in November.

Lancashire pace bowler James Anderson, out all season with a back injury was also included while Durham quick Liam Plunkett has made it into the main squad despite a side strain in the second half of the season.

Strike fast bowler Stephen Harmison is also included after missing the one-dayers against Pakistan with a side injury.

Meanwhile senior opening batsman Marcus Trescothick made the 16-man squad despite the stress-related illness which forced him to miss the Champions Trophy event.

But there was no place for Glamorgan quick Simon Jones, one pf the heroes of last year's Ashes where his reverse-swing bowling played an important part in England's 2-1 victory.

The Welshman has been out all season with a knee injury and has been advised not to return to first-class cricket until the 2007 English season.

"Simon recently travelled to America for a re-assessment of the left knee which was operated on earlier in the summer by a specialist in Colorado," explained ECB chief medical officer Dr Peter Gregory.

"He underwent an arthroscopy which showed that the knee has responded well to the micro-fracturing treatment designed to repair the joint surface.

"The specialist is encouraged by Simon's progress but he has advised that any return to competitive cricket should be delayed until next season in order to give the surgery the best chance of succeeding."

England's squad contains only four players -- Giles, Trescothick, Matthew Hoggard and Harmison -- who played in the final Test of the previous Ashes tour at Sydney four years ago.

Despite reports claiming Vaughan would shadow the squad out in Australia and continue his rehabilitation down under, the ECB have also confirmed he will remain in England and not travel out to Australia until he is ready for cricket-related training.

The first Ashes Test starts at Brisbane on November 23.

ASHES SQUAD

Andrew Flintoff (captain), James Anderson, Ian Bell, Paul Collingwood, Alastair Cook, Ashley Giles, Steve Harmison, Matthew Hoggard, Geraint Jones, Sajid Mahmood, Monty Panesar, Kevin Pietersen, Liam Plunkett, Chris Read, Andrew Strauss, Marcus Trescothick.

CHAMPS TROPHY SQUAD

Andrew Flintoff (captain), James Anderson, Ian Bell, Rikki Clarke, Paul Collingwood, James Dalrymple, Steve Harmison, Ed Joyce, Sajid Mahmood, Jon Lewis, Kevin Pietersen, Chris Read, Andrew Strauss, Michael Yardy.