Scoring his first hundred against Australia at Headingley would have been a big breakthrough, even though one-day and Test cricket are different. Performances like that can rub off on the rest of the team because they know that Australia have had the wood on him in the past. It’s no secret that we will target him outside off stump early on. If he gets through that I wonder if short and wide third man might be an option.

BATTING

Career
M 61
Runs  4,775
HS  219
Ave 45.47
100  12
50 24 

v Australia
M 10
Runs 582
HS 76
Ave 29.10
100 —
50 4  

BOWLING

Career
Wkts 1
Ave 155.0
Best 1-34
5i —
10m  —
c 73
s —

v Australia
Wkts —
Ave —
Best —
5i —
10m —
c 9
s —

ANDREW STRAUSS

His opening partnership with Trescothick is going to be key for England because if they get a solid base it sets up the innings for the middle order. There is a special responsibility on Strauss as the form player over the past year. But he looked as though he may be falling over and playing a bit too much on to the leg side in the one-day games, so he could be a candidate for bowled or leg-before against the new ball.

BATTING

Career
M 14
Runs 1,323
HS  147
Ave 55.17
100 5
50 5 

v Australia
M —
Runs —
HS —
Ave —
100 —
50 — 

BOWLING

Career
Wkts  —
Ave —
Best —
5i —
10m — 
c  19
s — 

v Australia
Wkts  —
Ave —
Best —
5i —
10m — 
c  —
s— 

MICHAEL VAUGHAN

We try to nail the captain because it affects the whole decision-making process of the opposition. But Vaughan is class. I’ve said before that his performances in 2002-03 were the best I’ve seen after Lara and Tendulkar, the two great batsmen of the age. I’m not sure there will be a plan against him, except to stop him scoring. He may be a good “nicker” if we can build up the pressure of dot balls.

BATTING

Career
M 57
Runs 4,187
HS 197
Ave 45.02
100 14
50 12

v Australia
M 5
Runs 633
HS 183
Ave 63.30
100 3
50 —

BOWLING

Career
Wkts 6
Ave 86.00
Best 2-71
5i —
10m —
c 34
s —

v Australia
Wkts —
Ave —
Best —
5i —
10m —
c —
s —  

IAN BELL

I played against him in one-day cricket last season but to most of us he is an unknown quantity. While that may be an advantage to him early on, he will still have to cope with the pressure of playing against Australia rather than Bangladesh. He looked quite aggressive in that series and seemed to be pretty well- organised in his game, but he will be under the pump for longer periods against our bowlers.

BATTING

Career
M 3
Runs 297
HS 162*
Ave 297.0
100 1
50 2

v Australia
M —
Runs —
HS —
Ave —
100 —
50   — 

BOWLING

Career
Wkts —
Ave —
Best —
5i —
10m —
c 2
s —

v Australia
Wkts —
Ave —
Best —
5i —
10m —
c —
s —

()

KEVIN PIETERSEN

He is the most dangerous England batsman, Flintoff included. He has that special something, which you can’t quite pin down but you recognise when it is there. His technique is unorthodox, but he doesn’t need to change because it works for him. Players such as Chanderpaul and Ijaz Ahmed have looked different but enjoyed a lot of success. He thrives on the big stage and this will be a big turn-on for him.

First-class statistics
BATTING

Career
M 78
Runs 5,936
HS 254*
Ave 52.54
100 21
50 25

BOWLING

Career
Wkts 55
Ave 47.36
Best 4-31
5i —
10m —
c 80
s —

ANDREW FLINTOFF

Freddie is one of the good guys in cricket and probably the best all-rounder in the world. Ideally, he would bat at seven rather than six as the third seamer, but he has scored well where he is and he gives the selectors flexibility. People are anticipating his battle against me because of where and how he bats. Strangely we haven’t played against each other that often, but the way he attacks gives spinners a chance.

BATTING

Career
M 47
Runs 2,239
HS 167
Ave 32.44
100 4
50 14

v Australia
M —
Runs — 
HS —
Ave —
100 —
50  —

BOWLING

Career
Wkts 119
Ave 33.52
Best 5-58
5i 1
10m —
c 31
s —

v Australia
Wkts —
Ave —
Best —
5i —
10m —
c —
s — 

GERAINT JONES

It is good for England that five of the top seven, including Jones, have not played against us before. They aren’t scarred by previous failures. Jones is another dangerous batsman, but there is bound to be some pressure on him to score runs if he starts to drop a few balls as wicketkeeper. He also strikes me as being a compulsive hooker, so we will send down a few short ones with men back to test his technique.

BATTING

Career
M 15
Runs 574
HS 100
Ave 31.88
100 1
50 3

v Australia
M —
Runs —
HS —
Ave —
100 —
50 — 

BOWLING

Career
Wkts —
Ave — 
Best —
5i —
10m —
c 56
s 2

v Australia
Wkts —
Ave —
Best —
5i —
10m —
c —
s —

ASHLEY GILES

He has been one of the key factors behind England’s re-emergence and, as one spinner looking at another, I’m delighted about that. Giles has become a solid performer, who can attack or defend and has played some useful innings at No 8. I’d like to see him go around the wicket and be more positive, especially against new batsmen. Bowling over the wicket takes out the possibility of a leg-before.

BATTING

Career
M 45
Runs 1,123
HS 52
Ave 20.79
100 —
50 3

v Australia
M 2
Runs 13
HS 7
Ave 6.00
100 —
50 — 

BOWLING

Career
Wkts 127
Ave 37.15
Best 5-57
5i 5
10m —
c 25
s —

v Australia
Wkts 7
Ave 42.71
Best 4-101
5i —
10m — 
c 2
s — 

()

SIMON JONES

Great to see him back after that horrible injury in Brisbane. Having faced him twice already this year I know that he has improved heaps. He still has good pace but he is also swinging the ball and if he can do that, while maintaining a good line and length, he has every chance of winning a regular place. In the past he has been a bit erratic and it will be interesting to see if he keeps his control should our batsmen dominate.

BATTING

Career
M 14
Runs 139
HS 44
Ave 12.63
100 —
50 —

v Australia
M 1 did not bat
Runs —
HS —
Ave —
100 —
50 — 

BOWLING

Career
Wkts 41
Ave 31.41
Best 5-57
5i 1
10m —
c 3
s —

v Australia
Wkts 1
Ave 32.00
Best 1-32
5i —
10m —
c —
s —

STEPHEN HARMISON

At the moment he and Glenn McGrath are the two best fast bowlers in the world. Harmison has that pace and steep bounce off a length to trouble anyone. If he takes between 30 and 35 wickets, England should win the series. But he must avoid overdoing the short stuff. Our batsmen are all very good at horizontal-bat shots because they were raised on fast, bouncy pitches — especially the Perth boys.

BATTING

Career
M 30
Runs 287
HS 42
Ave 11.03
100 —
50 —

v Australia
M 4
Runs 47
HS 20*
Ave 7.83
100 —
50 —

BOWLING

Career
Wkts 121
Ave 27.95
Best 7-12
5i 5
10m —
c 4
s —

v Australia
Wkts 9
Ave 50.55
Best 3-70
5i —
10m —
c 1
s —

MATTHEW HOGGARD

Every good side has their Hoggard, a workhorse who gets on with doing a job without complaint. He is a good partner for Harmison and Flintoff because he comes at you from a different angle. Then, if conditions favour swing, he is capable of causing a lot of damage. He will fancy his chances of getting our left-handed openers leg-before in the first overs before their feet have started to move.

BATTING

Career
M 40
Runs 274
HS 38
Ave 9.13
100 —
50 —

v Australia
M 3
Runs 12
HS 6
Ave 2.40
100 —
50 — 

BOWLING

Career
Wkts 157
Ave 29.63
Best 7-61
5i 5
10m 1
c 18
s —

v Australia
Wkts 6
Ave 62.50
Best 4-92
5i —
10m —
c 1
s —

CHRIS TREMLETT

He has improved out of sight at Hampshire over the past couple of years. When he gets angry and aggressive he is a really awkward bowler — taller than Harmison but without the same pace. I know that Michael Vaughan was impressed with him during the one-day series. Maybe he will need an injury to play, but I’ve no doubt that he will have a good career as long as he keeps his body language strong.

First-class statistics
BATTING

Career
M 48
Runs 891
HS 64
Ave 18.95
100 —
50 2  

BOWLING

Career
Wkts 173
Ave 24.93
Best 6-44
5i 5
10m —
c 16
s —