In 2007, the big decision was between Mal Loye and Ed Joyce. In 1999, it was between Vince Wells and Mark Alleyne for the final all-rounder’s slot. In 2015, it was all about whether Alastair Cook or Gary Ballance would accompany Ian Bell at the top of the order. Rejoice, then, that for once an England World Cup squad can boast an embarrassment of riches, rather than simply an embarrassment.

Lord’s glittered in the sunshine as the national selector Ed Smith announced the names of the 15 men to take on the world. As expected, the extraordinary Jofra Archer made the cut, just weeks after qualifying as an England player. So too the Hampshire duo of James Vince and Liam Dawson. But nobody ever won a World Cup without breaking a few hearts, and for David Willey and Joe Denly, the final cut was the cruellest of all.

“A very difficult decision,” said Smith on the selection upon which his reputation will be made. “We had more players we wanted to fit into the squad than we were allowed to. So it was a very tough call.”

In the case of Willey, who was picked in the provisional squad last month, it is an especially tough blow. Given his one-day international debut in the aftermath of England’s disastrous 2015 World Cup campaign, the Yorkshire left-armer was identified extremely early on in the cycle as a potential 2019 prospect. But in a team built on ruthless aggression, the numbers haven’t been stacking up for some time.

For a bowler picked on his ability to swing the new white Kookaburra and take wickets in the Powerplay, a haul of just five since the start of 2018 was evidence of a wider decline. Of fast bowlers to take 50 ODI wickets since the last World Cup, only Tim Southee has taken them at a higher average. Smith confirmed that Willey had taken his omission with disappointment but good grace.

England 2019 World Cup squad Show all 14 1 /14 England 2019 World Cup squad England 2019 World Cup squad Eoin Morgan (Batsman, captain) DUBLIN, IRELAND - MAY 02: England cricket captain Eoin Morgan pictured as he answers questions during a press conference at Malahide Cricket Club on May 2, 2019 in Dublin, Ireland. England will play Ireland in a one off ODI match tomorrow at Malahide Castle followed by the first ever Test match between the two sides in July at Lord's. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images) Charles McQuillan Getty Images England 2019 World Cup squad Moeen Ali (All-rounder) Adil Rashid (L) and Moeen Ali (R) of England take part in a training session one day ahead of the 1st ODI between West Indies and England at Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados, on February 19, 2019. (Photo by Randy Brooks / AFP)RANDY BROOKS/AFP/Getty Images RANDY BROOKS AFP/Getty Images England 2019 World Cup squad Jonny Bairstow (Wicketkeeper) Cricket - England Nets - Darren Sammy National Cricket Stadium, St Lucia - February 8, 2019 England's Jonny Bairstow during nets Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs PAUL CHILDS Action Images via Reuters England 2019 World Cup squad Jos Buttler (Wicketkeeper) GRENADA, GRENADA - FEBRUARY 27: Jos Buttler of England hits ut for six runs during the 4th One Day International match between the West Indies and England at Grenada National Stadium on February 27, 2019 in Grenada, Grenada. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images) Gareth Copley Getty Images England 2019 World Cup squad Tom Curran (Bowler) DUBLIN, IRELAND - MAY 03: Tom Curran of England during the ODI cricket match between Ireland and England at Malahide Cricket Club on May 3, 2019 in Dublin, Ireland. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images) Charles McQuillan Getty Images England 2019 World Cup squad Liam Dawson (Bowler) Liam Dawson is a potential wildcard Getty England 2019 World Cup squad Liam Plunkett (Bowler) DUBLIN, IRELAND - MAY 03: Liam Plunkett of England during the ODI cricket match between Ireland and England at Malahide Cricket Club on May 3, 2019 in Dublin, Ireland. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images) Charles McQuillan Getty Images England 2019 World Cup squad Adil Rashid (All-rounder) Adil Rashid during a nets session at The Village, Malahide. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday May 2, 2019. See PA story CRICKET England. Photo credit should read: Brian Lawless/PA Wire Brian Lawless PA England 2019 World Cup squad Joe Root (Batsman) Joe Root during a nets session at The Village, Malahide. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday May 2, 2019. See PA story CRICKET England. Photo credit should read: Brian Lawless/PA Wire Brian Lawless PA England 2019 World Cup squad Jason Roy (Batsman) BRIDGETOWN, BARBADOS - FEBRUARY 15: Jason Roy of England fields the ball during a nets session at The Kensington Oval on February 15, 2019 in Bridgetown, Barbados. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images) Gareth Copley Getty Images England 2019 World Cup squad Ben Stokes (All-rounder) BRIDGETOWN, BARBADOS - FEBRUARY 15: Mark Wood and Ben Stokes of England during a nets session at The Kensington Oval on February 15, 2019 in Bridgetown, Barbados. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images) Gareth Copley Getty Images England 2019 World Cup squad Jofra Archer (Bowler) NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND - MAY 16 : Jofra Archer of England looks on during a training session before the fourth one-day international between England and Pakistan at Trent Bridge on May 16, 2019 in Nottingham, England. (Photo by Philip Brown/Popperfoto) PHILIP BROWN Popperfoto England 2019 World Cup squad Chris Woakes (Bowler) Chris Woakes of England celebrates the dismissal of Shimron Hetmyer of West Indies during the 1st ODI between West Indies and England at Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados, on February 20, 2019. (Photo by Randy Brooks / AFP)RANDY BROOKS/AFP/Getty Images RANDY BROOKS AFP/Getty Images England 2019 World Cup squad Mark Wood (Bowler) BRIDGETOWN, BARBADOS - JANUARY 21: Mark Wood of England talks with Assistant Coach Paul Farbrace during a net session at Kensington Oval on January 21, 2019 in Bridgetown, Barbados. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images) Shaun Botterill Getty Images

“He deserves to be in the World Cup squad,” Smith said, “but that’s sport. Sometimes there are more deserving people than there are places in the squad. He’s an outstanding man. He’s very honest, very dignified, a very impressive cricketer. It is extremely unfortunate.” Willey’s own reaction on Twitter was equally diplomatic. “What can I say, I’m absolutely gutted,” he said. “Still 100 per cent behind the lads.”

Archer’s selection completes a remarkable few months in which he has become England’s probable first choice with the new ball after just three ODI appearances. His omission from the provisional 15-man squad named last month always bore the faint ring of formality to it: once he made the smooth transition to international cricket, having already proved his worth in the IPL and Big Bash, his place was virtually secure.

"I think I am ready," Archer said. "I know how to deal with pressure and crowds. I think international cricket is the same intensity as IPL. All that has changed is the amount of overs. It is a great team to be a part of, probably one of the better teams I have been involved in."

Denly’s omission bears the fingerprints of captain Eoin Morgan. Strongly championed by Smith, Denly has found his opportunities limited during his second spell in the England one-day side, almost a decade after his first. He faced just 21 balls in the recent series against Pakistan, and so minimally did Morgan rate his part-time leg-spin in the third ODI at Bristol that he gave him just a single over, which was clouted for nine runs.

Archer impressed in the warm-up games (AFP/Getty Images)

Dawson, the Hampshire left-arm spinner, has long been admired by coach Trevor Bayliss, even though he has not played for England since the ODI tour of Sri Lanka last autumn. He has been in good form in this season’s Royal London One-Day Cup, taking 18 wickets with an economy of just 4.11, and scoring a century against Surrey.

The rest of the squad was as expected, with Vince the back-up batsman in the absence of the sacked Alex Hales, and Tom Curran and Liam Plunkett preferred as seam alternatives to the likely new-ball pairing of Chris Woakes and Archer. It is an attack that consists entirely of right-armers, and yet with the awkward Plunkett, the explosive Archer and the skiddy Mark Wood, it is not one that could be accused of sameness.

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And so, here we are: the 15 men who are widely held to have England’s best chance of winning the World Cup in a generation. Seven play for counties in the South, six in the North, two in the Midlands. Eight were state-educated, seven privately-educated. Three are from black or ethnic minority backgrounds, which roughly correlates to the UK population as a whole.