England add punch to Ashes preparations

England's players completed the first stage of their preparations for this winter's Ashes series after returning home from their 'development camp' in southern Germany.

The five-day camp saw the 16-member squad undertake a series of team building exercises before today visiting the memorial site at Dachau, the first of Hitler's concentration camps where more than 40,000 people died.

Captain Andrew Strauss said the trip had been a worthwhile venture. "Following our trip to Flanders last year, this was an opportunity for the players to spend time away from the cricketing environment, learn more about the wider world and develop ourselves both individually and collectively," said Strauss. "It was a tough but rewarding five days and I know every player has gained greater insight into themselves, their own team environment and environments outside cricket."

England will fly out to Australia next month ahead of the first Test in Brisbane on 25 November.

It also emerged yesterday that Ravi Bopara will join England team-mate Kevin Pietersen at South African club KwaZulu-Natal Dolphins this winter. Bopara, who was overlooked for the Ashes squad, will play in two first-class matches as well as South Africa's domestic limited-overs series, which runs from 29 October to 10 December. The 25-year-old will use the matches to prove his credentials for the seven-match one-day international series against Australia, which follows the Ashes Test matches.

Bopara's position in England's limited-overs team is uncertain, with the World Cup also on the horizon, after he was dropped following the third match of the recently-completed ODI series against Pakistan.

South Africa-born Pietersen signed a short-term deal with the Dolphins, his home club, earlier this month to help his preparations ahead of the Ashes. Meanwhile, Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ijaz Butt has defended his decision to not suspend the three players accused of spot-fixing during the recent tour of England, claiming it would have sent out the wrong message.

Butt insisted the players - skipper Salman Butt and pacemen Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer - had simply been withdrawn, not suspended, from the side due to News of the World allegations of spot-fixing in the fourth npower Test against England.

"We didn't take action against them and let the ICC follow its course of action," Butt told Pakistani newspaper The News. "We didn't want to send out a message to the world that we believed our players were tainted. Butt is reportedly on his way to London to meet with solicitors over the allegations made against the players.