Basketball: England train without Sullivan

The England coach, Peter Scantlebury, begins preparations for next year's Commonwealth Games on Tuesday with a two-day training camp in Sevenoaks followed by a tournament in Luxembourg against the hosts and Scotland next weekend.

The England coach, Peter Scantlebury, begins preparations for next year's Commonwealth Games on Tuesday with a two-day training camp in Sevenoaks followed by a tournament in Luxembourg against the hosts and Scotland next weekend.

But the team's outstanding individual talent, Andrew Sullivan, has opted out to return to his American university, Villanova, where he says, "there is a tried and tested set-up" for him to develop his game.

Scantlebury is ready to welcome Sullivan back into the squad if the 6ft 5in Londoner sticks to his word and becomes available for the second half of England's busy summer.

Funding is the issue for Sullivan, as it will be for the make-up of the team for the Commonwealth Games which are being held in Australia next March, during the BBL season.

Scantlebury said: "Our team will have to be selected from players who are with English clubs. A player with Andrew's talent can command a more lucrative contract from a continental club, so hopefully funding will enable us to top-up his salary and keep him in England for one more season at least."

England squad (v Luxembourg and Scotland, 21-22 May) : J Amaechi (Manchester Magic), R Baker (Brighton Bears), A Bridge, F Flournoy, P Lawson (all Newcastle Eagles), J Joseph (Colfontaine, Bel), R Reed (Hungary), N Reinking (Sheffield Sharks), A Spinks, R Youngblood (Milton Keynes Lions), R Wellington, D Williams (Thames Valley Tigers).