NASSER Hussain yesterday defended the decision not to recall Graham Thorpe to the England Test side, saying that selection was not just about the present but “picking 11 for the future”. Anthony McGrath, who scored 69 and 81 in England’s last two games, admittedly against lowly Zimbabwe, was retained ahead of Thorpe in what David Graveney, the chairman of selectors, said had been a “well debated” matter.

South Africa could also be without a leading batsman as a spokesman for the squad said that the team were bracing themselves for hearing today or tomorrow that Jacques Kallis will miss the first Test to stay in Cape Town with his seriously ill father. As Kallis is the pivotal allrounder in the side, his absence would be a massive blow. Moreover, he could be detained for a protracted period. The Lord’s Test starts three days after Edgbaston and the entire series spans only 47 days.

South Africa are anxious not to force Kallis into rejoining them before he is ready. “I have told him that he must take as much time as he needs,” said Eric Simons, the coach. “The wellbeing of a player’s family comes before any game of cricket.”

Hussain, who is no longer a selector but was consulted about selection for the game at Edgbaston starting on Thursday, said: “This is the best side we can take out. It’s not as easy as that (picking the best 11 players). You want to send out the right messages. It’s not just looking at 11 for one Test but 11 for the future.

“Selection doesn’t revolve around Graham Thorpe. Deep down Graham will feel the right thing has been done. He will want to be treated like Anthony McGrath was. You have to treat people fairly. If you do they tend to respond.”

In fact, there is little doubt that Hussain would prefer to have Thorpe, an old campaigner and friend, at his side for such a big series.

He also admitted that the recall of Darren Gough was a gamble but one worth taking. “There was no point risking Richard Johnson when you could have a small risk with Gough,” he said. “Being one of five bowlers, I think it’s a risk the selectors are willing to take, but obviously we’re going to have to monitor it and if he plays I’m going to have to look after him.”

Johnson was ruled out of contention with a slight groin strain and will bowl for Somerset in a championship match at Northampton this week with a view to getting fit for Lord’s. With Andrew Caddick and Matthew Hoggard also sidelined, had Gough been ignored the selectors would have been looking at more inexperienced bowlers such as Steve Kirby, the uncapped Yorkshire fast bowler, or Jimmy Ormond, who played two Tests in 2001.

Hussain added that he wanted to hit South Africa while they were down after losing three times in four to England. “We must try and nail them while they’re down,” he said. “We’ll try and keep players like Herschelle Gibbs and Mark Boucher out of form as long as possible.”

The success of the one-day side under Michael Vaughan has brought Hussain’s own position under further scrutiny and he reiterated his stance at the start of the season that he would step down when the selectors wanted him to.

That will either be in September, before winter tours of Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the Caribbean, or next spring ahead of home series with New Zealand and West Indies, though Hussain would clearly like to take the team abroad one more time. “I’ve been extremely pleased with what I’ve seen,” he said. “The way Michael has led by example has been exceptional.”

Hussain and Vaughan met last week to discuss Gough’s fitness, the McGrath-Thorpe issue and South African frailties. England’s batsmen should make hay, which may only serve to keep Thorpe waiting all the longer for a recall.