Well, at least we can’t say we haven’t been here before. A squad to tour Australia is about to be announced, and England’s problems pile higher than Shane Warne oaths on a John Buchanan boot camp. Never mind the jumbo jet, England’s transport of choice when they head Down Under on November 7 looks like being a wing and a prayer.

A measure of the crisis is clear from the fact that the selectorial triumvirate of Duncan Fletcher, David Graveney and Geoff Miller were meeting yesterday for the third time in a week to try to hammer out squads for the tour and its warm-up act, the ICC Champions Trophy in India.

They were unanimous on possibly this alone: that for Australia they were seeking 16 players plus five reserves, who will be located at Paul Terry’s highly respected academy in Perth; and for India 14 players.

“We’re pretty near finally making up those squads,” Fletcher said, “but some decisions still have to be made.” These were the choice of captain and which semi-fit players should be risked. Those who have been injured or haven’t played much will have asterisks by their names indicating that they will tour only if they continue to make good progress with their rehabilitation. Asked how many of these there might be, Fletcher quipped: “Sixteen.”

In reality, there may be about four: Andrew Flintoff, Ashley Giles, James Anderson and Liam Plunkett. Everybody will undergo medicals at Loughborough tomorrow, but all the recovering players appear to be making good progress.

England are looking at Anderson and Plunkett playing in the final round of County Championship matches, Anderson as a loan player with another county (possibly Glamorgan, one of the few teams not involved in promotion or relegation issues) as Lancashire don’t want to compromise their title challenge by fielding somebody coming back from a six-month lay-off.

It would perhaps be insensitive to put an asterisk next to Marcus Trescothick’s name, but there has to be a question mark over whether he will be well enough to tour Australia after it was revealed last week that he would miss India to continue treatment for stress. Presumably selectorial fingers are crossed that Steve Harmison, a notorious victim of homesickness, remains in good spirits ahead of his longest winter on the road.

A great deal of interest has centred on whether Flintoff or Andrew Strauss gets the captaincy. There are arguments on both sides, but Flintoff remains favourite, if for no other reason than potentially the most disruptive course of action would be to pass him over. He desperately wants the job and would have to be placated.

“We’re very confident of Flintoff being available as a batter (for India),” Fletcher said yesterday. “In a week’s time we’ll be more clear on where he stands, but there’s a very good chance he’ll be bowling in the nets there. We haven’t decided on the captain, but we’ve got a very good idea who we want. Leading England in Australia is a very difficult job but a fantastic opportunity. It’s the hardest tour you can go on.”

The argument against Flintoff is that it is another burden on an already overworked cricketer. But if Michael Vaughan is fit to return in January, Flintoff’s burden might be only temporary. Until a line is drawn under Vaughan’s career, England are not picking a long-term captain but a short-term deputy. Easy, then, to plump for Fred.

England are trying to cover for every eventuality by locating a group of back-up players inside Australia. The facility developed by Terry, the former England batsman, is excellent and will allow the group to enjoy bespoke training in the driest climate in Australia.

The Australians will leap on Vaughan’s presence in Perth as evidence that England lack faith in their appointed captain, but he can dispense advice in the lead-up to the first Test in Brisbane, a gladiatorial occasion that could leave everybody feeling stressed.

Others may include two spare fast bowlers (possibly Stuart Broad and Chris Tremlett), a spare batsman (preferably an opener to cover for Trescothick, so perhaps Robert Key, who has toured Australia before) and a spare spinner (probably Jamie Dalrymple).