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Bellamy to miss Wales qualifiers

Wales will again be without the services of Craig Bellamy for their upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Scotland and Croatia.

Bellamy, who missed Wales' opening two Group A matches after suffering a calf injury while playing for Cardiff, was not included in Chris Coleman's 21-man squad announced on Friday morning.

The 33-year-old has started Cardiff's last three matches and scored the opening goal in their 2-1 victory over Birmingham on Tuesday before being substituted later on.

Without the 70-cap striker, Wales suffered a 2-0 defeat to Belgium in their opening qualifier last month before being thrashed 6-1 in Serbia in their second outing.

Swansea centre-half Ashley Williams will lead the side after Coleman decided on a change of captaincy.

Arsenal midfielder Ramsey was made skipper by the late Gary Speed, but Wales have lost all five games since Coleman was announced as Speed's successor.

Goalkeeper Boaz Myhill, who played in both of those matches, is also missing from the latest squad as he has a thumb injury that has required surgery.

Aberdeen's Jason Brown, Lewis Price of Crystal Palace and Tranmere's Owain Fon Williams are the three keepers in the squad.

Wales play Scotland in Cardiff next Friday before facing Croatia in Osijek four days later.

Wales squad to face Scotland on October 12 and Croatia on October 16: Brown (Aberdeen), Price (Crystal Palace), O F Williams (Tranmere); Blake (Crystal Palace), Davies (Swansea), Gunter (Reading), Lynch (Huddersfield), Matthews (Celtic), Ricketts (Bolton), A Williams (Swansea); Allen (Liverpool), Edwards (Wolves), King (Leicester), Ledley (Celtic), Ramsey (Arsenal), Vaughan (Sunderland); Bale (Tottenham), Church (Reading), Morison (Norwich), Robson-Kanu (Reading), Vokes (Burnley).