ANDREW STRAUSS was the last man to lead England to a Test victory, but has had precious little to smile about since the bizarre finish to last summer’s series against Pakistan. He has every right to expect to be named England captain, as replacement for the injured Michael Vaughan, when the first Test squad of the Peter Moores era is announced on Friday to meet West Indies at Lord’s, beginning on May 17.

Even allowing for the farcical nature of Pakistan’s forfeiture at The Oval that gave England a 3-0 series win, England’s revamped side had started to build up momentum under Strauss. The decision to name Andrew Flintoff as captain for the Ashes seemed to be a kick in the teeth for Strauss from which he has yet to recover fully. He reached 50 only once during the 5-0 Ashes drubbing, then found himself out of the one-day side for much of the World Cup.

Being named stand-in captain might be the boost Strauss needs, although the decision is not a foregone conclusion. Flintoff can be discounted after the Ashes disaster, his indiscretions in the Caribbean and his loss of batting form, but Paul Collingwood is a possibility who, unlike Strauss, is guaranteed a place in the one-day side. Collingwood has expressed interest in the job and would be a popular, energetic leader.

Had Vaughan been fit, the selectors would have faced an awkward decision with the batting order. If they wish to stick with the five-bowler policy so beloved of Duncan Fletcher, they would have had to drop a batsman. The one with the poorest recent track record is Strauss. Vaughan’s injury gets the selectors off the hook – for now.

Flintoff’s woeful batting in the Ashes and the World Cup leaves him exposed at No 6. There is a strong case for taking the heat off Flintoff, the batsman, and having him at seven. That would mean England playing four bowlers, as against Pakistan last summer when Flintoff was injured. The up side would be the shortening of the tail, the downside being the extra bowling burden it will place on Flintoff with his iffy ankle. If the selectors stick with him at six, they not only have to decide on the identity of a fourth seamer, but are faced with the perennial problem of England’s tail. Steve Harmison and Matthew Hoggard seem refreshed after missing the World Cup and are automatic new-ball choices.

Of the plethora of young seamers around, Leicestershire’s Stuart Broad is probably the most accomplished batsman. He showed he had fire in his belly during the World Cup and could slot in at No 8. Picking Broad would be an investment in the future – he is still only 20 – but would not be a vote of confidence for any of three quicks who toured Australia: Sajid Mahmood, James Anderson and Liam Plunkett.

Possibly the biggest decision that Moores and his fellow selectors have to make is who keeps wicket. The naming of Paul Nixon and Matt Prior in the 25-man performance squad indicates that Chris Read and Geraint Jones, England’s Ashes wicketkeepers, can leave their England blazers in the wardrobe. It seems unlikely that Nixon would be in the 25-man squad if he were not going to play. Prior has not started the season well, failing to reach 50 in seven first-class innings for Sussex.

Most of England’s Test lineup still pick themselves despite the Ashes debacle, but the few decisions to be made this week are key ones and will set the tone for Moores’s tenure.

Possible squad for Lord’s: Strauss (capt), Cook, Bell, Pietersen, Collingwood, Flintoff, Nixon, Panesar, Hoggard, Harmison, Broad, Anderson.

John Stern is editor of The Wisden Cricketer