England coach Duncan Fletcher revealed earlier this week that Flintoff had asked to bat at No5 during this series with South Africa, having enjoyed the extra challenge when moved up for the one-day series.
Fletcher, though, was right to recommend caution because, unlike in the short game, Flintoff is having to bowl considerably more than 10 overs a day at Test level. Even Ian Botham was generally grateful for a breather at No6. But No7 is now too low for a player who scored two half-centuries during the depressing defeat at Headingley and might have scored more runs but for being left with the tail.
Flintoff represents the future, Stewart is only just the present and their positions in the batting order next week should reflect that fact. England, it seems, will at least consider a much more radical change to their line-up. There is talk of Marcus Trescothick moving down to the middle region with his opening place going to Strauss.
Why? Good question. Strauss, Middlesex’s 26-year-old captain, is just the sort of batsman England should be looking at. This season, he has scored three centuries and six fifties in his 1183 runs at an impressive average of 53.77. But some would argue why break up an opening partnership that has generally served the team well?
Trescothick is a man under some fire at present and he certainly didn’t help himself at Headingley by playing the leading role in that bad-light farce. In addition, of course, the Somerset opener has not scored a Test century in 21 completed innings since making 161 against Sri Lanka nearly 15 months ago. But his average during that relatively barren spell is still 37.
Surely it makes more sense for England to stick with something they know can work well and, if necessary, introduce Strauss at No3, just ahead of the brilliantly in-form Mark Butcher.
A simpler solution, however, is to replace Hussain (on the grounds that he cannot-play) with another player of proven pedigree. That’s always assuming the door really is still open for Thorpe.
But there is nothing simple about trying to sort out an attack that might dismiss South Africa twice on what, in all probability, will be a good Oval surface.
Steve Harmison, cross at being dropped in Leeds, can make his point and there could be an chance for Surrey’s Clarke as an all-rounder alternative to Smith. With Richard Johnson now fit after knee and side injuries, there is no shortage of options. Just a shortage of match-winners, perhaps.
MY SQUAD: Vaughan (capt), Trescothick, Butcher, Thorpe, Smith, Flintoff, Stewart (wkt), Clarke, Giles, Johnson, Kirtley, Anderson, Harmison.
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