The selectors took the rare step of announcing the final XI
for the third Test at the Oval starting on Wednesday instead of a squad with
opener Alastair Cook, who has scored just 100 runs in seven test innings this
season, the chief beneficiary.
England conclude their home season in London with the final Test
scheduled for Lord's next week after which they will turn their full attention
to the Ashes defense in Australia later in the year.
Since coach Andy Flower and captain Andrew Strauss joined
forces early last year, England have regained the Ashes and won the Twenty20
World Cup.
They have beaten Australia 3-2 in a one-day series this
season and victory at the Oval would be their seventh Test win in a row,
although that statistic does include four matches against a modest Bangladesh
outfit.
Pakistan, in familiar disarray after squaring their two-Test
series against Australia, could make little of the swing, seam and spin
delivered by England's four-man attack in the first two Tests.
In response the prolific Mohammad Yousuf has been recalled
to the side, after ending his brief international retirement, while pitches at
the two London Test grounds generally favor the batsmen.
Since Andrew Flintoff retired from Test cricket last year
year, England have committed themselves to a four-man attack with six
specialist batsmen and wicketkeeper Matt Prior batting at seven.
England will almost certainly need to take 20 wickets in at
least two tests in Australia to retain the Ashes and the London matches should
provide a more searching examination of the various abilities of James
Anderson, Stuart Broad, Steven Finn and Graeme Swann.
Anderson, the leader of the attack, moved the ball wickedly
late under leaden skies in the first two Tests but not only Australians
question his ability and attitude when the ball is not swinging.
Broad has yet to prove himself abroad while Finn, for all
the immense promise he has shown in his debut international season, is still a
novice.
Swann, the world's top-ranked spinner, has surpassed
expectations since his test debut in December 2008, and he will welcome the
opportunity for an extensive workout in the knowledge that English off-spinners
usually struggle in Australia.
Pakistan, headed by the late movement and accuracy of
Mohammad Asif possess a class attack, as they showed in their surprise win over
Australia.
But their batting has been dire and Yousuf is set to replace
Umar Amin while Yasir Hameed could also come into the side in place of either
Shoaib Malik or opener Imran Farhat.
Either Tanvir Ahmed or Wahab Riaz will replace injured pace
bowler Umar Gul, who has been ruled out of the remainder of the series with a
hamstring injury.
To compound Pakistan's problems, Gul was joined on the
sidelines on Monday by wicketkeeper-batsman Zulqarnain Haider, who made 88 in
the second innings on his test debut at Edgbaston. Haider, who has a broken
finger, will be replaced by Kamran Akmal who will return to the side for the
second time this year after being dropped.
