The trouble is that the problems which have been plaguing his technique are still as apparent now as they were when he was dropped at the end of last summer. His front foot hardly ever emerges, making it impossible for him to drive anything but full half-volleys, and he is left to play around his pad.
At least his determination has never been in doubt, which is why I would include him for this showdown, not least because Owais Shah, his obvious replacement, has not had enough cricket. Strauss is also crucial in the slip cordon, but if he fails to show signs of getting his footwork right this time I would need serious persuasion to pick him for the start of the summer series.
Conditions in Napier will suit all the batsmen, with New Zealand having similar problems to those in the England camp. The signs are that one team will either have to bat poorly or bowl brilliantly to force a win and, from what we have seen so far, both teams are more than capable of doing either.
Although there is now one eye on the journey home, it has been impossible to ignore the goings on at the International Cricket Council meeting in Dubai. Darrell Hair's return will be welcomed by the many people who felt he was hung out to dry by his employers over the fiasco at The Oval in 2006. I am no apologist for Hair, but he gets most of his decisions right, which has to be the most important thing.
We might see him again this summer during the series between England and South Africa, in which we could have a batsman disputing an umpire's decision and asking for a referral to the third umpire. That goes against everything cricket stands for: that the umpire's decision is final, and you must respect it.
Technology is advancing rapidly, and could be put to good use if it embraces cricket's moral code, and does not take up too much time. I am being increasingly persuaded by the Hotspot camera, which shows in most cases exactly what the ball did or did not hit. Hotspot is quick, too.
Rather than a batsman objecting, I could support an on-field umpire asking his colleague for a verdict from Hotspot. Coming from such a staunch traditionalist, that is quite a shift!
