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Strauss given chance to resurrect England Test career

27/02/2008

Batsman Andrew Strauss has been named in the side to face a Select XI in England's final warm-up match before the Test series against New Zealand.

The Middlesex opener will play at number three in the three-day game at the University Oval in Dunedin, behind captain Michael Vaughan and Alastair Cook.

And the match represents a good chance for Strauss to show that he has recovered some form ahead of the Test series, thanks to a stint with local provincial side Northern Districts prior to this tour.

Strauss is preferred to Middlesex team-mate Owais Shah, despite the latter's good run with the bat of late - including an innings of 96 in the previous two-day warm-up match against an Invitational XI and solid form in the one-day series.

"This isn't the Test lineup yet, so it's a bit early to assume things," Strauss admitted.

"Owais has shown a lot of form in county cricket for a long time and he's done pretty well in the one-dayers.

"He'll be pretty keen to get an opportunity in the Test team but that's always the case on tours, there are 15 or 16 players vying for 11 places."

Hampshire seamer Chris Tremlett is also included in the team for the warm-up alongside Steve Harmison, who is looking to gain some confidence after appearing rusty in his latest outing.

The England selectors are sweating over the fitness of first-choice paceman Ryan Sidebottom, but have chosen to omit Stuart Broad and Jimmy Anderson, who could be called up to the starting XI next week if the Nottinghamshire man fails to recover in time.

Also included in the lineup are batsman Ian Bell, who moves from number three to number five; one-day captain Paul Collingwood, who drops to six; and young wicketkeeper Tim Ambrose, who will bat at seven.

Full England XI to face Select XI tomorrow:
Michael Vaughan (Yorkshire, captain), Alastair Cook (Essex), Andrew Strauss (Middlesex), Kevin Pietersen (Hampshire), Ian Bell (Warwickshire), Paul Collingwood (Durham), Tim Ambrose (Warwickshire, wkt), Chris Tremlett (Hampshire), Matthew Hoggard (Yorkshire), Steve Harmison (Durham), Monty Panesar (Northamptonshire).