As Bopara Is Left in the Dark, England Reassess Their Oval Options

With less than 48 hours until the fifth and final test of this year’s Ashes series, and Australia only needing a draw to retain the urn after their drubbing of a lacklustre England team, the same England team must now reassess and find a winning formula that four years ago seemed permanently present.

After the fiasco at Headingly, many had called for wholesale changes within a team lacking ambition, direction and above all else, fighting instinct. The first casualty of the disastrous events in Leeds will be Ravi Bopara of Essex.

Having scored a mere 105 runs in seven innings in this series, not even a victory earning unbeaten half century for Essex could save him from being replaced. The man to take his place in the England line-up is South African born Warwickshire batsman Jonathon Trott.

Trott has been in emphatic form for Warwickshire this season, averaging 80 in the County Championship and highlighting his attacking versatility with an unbeaten half century in the Pro40 against Leicestershire last week.

While Trott’s call-up seemed straightforward, it took the rumoured revival of both Surrey’s Mark Ramprakash and Somerset’s Marcus Trescothick’s respective England career. While Trescothick immediately dismissed the rumour despite “mulling it over”, Ramps has enjoyed the spotlight much more and has been quoted as “cherishing” an England recall.

However England coach Andy Flower and the rest of the selectors have favoured the debutant Trott over Ramprakash (Averaged 27 in 52 Tests) and Trescothick (INSERT AVERAGE), a decision which South Africa coach Mickey Arthur believes is a shrewd one. Arthur felt that England’s selectors are looking for longevity over the ‘quick-fix’.

Jonathon Trott’s selection aside, England still have a number of selection quandaries to be solved, the biggest of which is whether or not Harmison should retain his place or if not should Ryan Sidebottom or Graham Onions (who will likely miss out in favour of Andrew Flintoff) take his place.

If Harmison is replaced, Sidebottom is most likely to take his place, despite having not featured in this series previously and having seen Onions impress against the old enemy.

While Onions has the consistency of both line and length needed for the oval, Sidebottom’s left-arm seam provides an extra dimension to a bowling attack that must take 20 wickets to regain the Ashes.

However while Harmison’s figures of 1-87 in 22 overs at the oval in 2005; Sidebottom has equally unfavourable figures of 1-93 in 32 against India two years ago.

That being said, while Harmison can provide pace and aggression, if he isn’t on the mark from he start he often ends up falling by the way-side, whereas Sidebottom has a canny knack of getting wickets even when he is seemingly off form.

In addition to the seam debate, there has been talk of playing two spinners at the Oval, with out of sorts spinner Monty Panesar to join the wily off=spinner Graeme Swann in the lineup. However, with Panesar’s poor form in domestic cricket this season and the need to take 20 wickets, it is likely that England steer clear of this option in favour of four seamers with Andrew Flintoff.

In terms of batting form, England are desperately short of it, and although Alastair Cook is coming off a half century in his last county championship innings, while Ian Bell and the Debutant Trott both scored centuries against a Notts attack that featured England contender Ryan Sidebottom, England will be as worried about scoring enough runs to force a result, as much as they will be about taking 20 Australian wickets.

England Skipper Andrew Strauss will be key in setting England off on a positive start. Whether that means getting a big score on the first day or making the correct bowling changes at the right time, leading from the front will be integral to England having any chance of regaining the ashes.

One thing in the captain’s favour is that he has had success at the Oval against Australia. Four years ago he scored 129 to steady England’s first innings and to give the bowlers a score to defend.

In order for England to go one step better than 2005 and win at the Ashes, a number of things must occur. Firstly England have to take 20 wickets on a batsman’s heaven of a pitch. The only ray of hope for England is that the warm weather predicted prior to the start of the test, brings about an abrasive pitch and leads to reverse swing.

However, this can be favourable for the Australians also, who unlikely to draft in Brett Lee for the final test will benefit from the seam and swing friendly conditions. Additionally England must bat well and bat positively, scoring plenty of runs at a good rate.

By achieving that, England will put Australia under added pressure and perhaps force mistakes from their opponents. If England let Stuart Clark and Ben Hilfenhaus dominate, England will get bogged down and fail to force their hand with enough time to create a winning scenario.

Finally and perhaps most important, England must learn from Australia’s mistakes at the Oval four years ago.

Not only did they take bad light when their situation dictated a push for runs, but on the final day they failed to take their chances against a fragile batting order, and in particular Kevin Pietersen whose 158 brought England to safety and confirmed their regaining of the Ashes.

However had Australia held onto one of the numerous chances dropped by the likes of Warne, Hayden and Gilchrist, the result could have been and would have been much different. Ultimately while an England victory is a long shot.

The England lineup will be reminded of events at the USPGA championship in Minnesota last Sunday, with South Korean Y.E. Yang reminding everyone that underdogs can be victorious, even against the most dominant favourite.

Regardless of what happens over the next week, and whether or not England manages to regain the ashes, one thing is for sure, it will conclude what has already been yet another intriguing chapter in the Ashes story.