Top-order places at stake

Strauss, dropped for last December's tour of Sri Lanka after a long sequence of sub-standard scores, made an important century against New Zealand in May and was voted man of the series. Since that Manchester hundred, though, he has failed to reach 50 in seven innings and knew that at least some knives were being sharpened as he prepared to bat today.

Junior opening partner Alastair Cook has hit five Test half-centuries this year. But his last hundred at the top level was put together 17 innings ago - a statistic that is now gnawing away at him.

Ian Bell asked to fill the vacancy at No3 created by Vaughan's exit and he would appear to have the technique required to succeed in that position. But if the Warwickshire batsman's nasty habit of getting out when apparently well set shows no real signs of being broken, then even his staunchest supporters will become frustrated.

Paul Collingwood's Test career was saved at Edgbaston a week or so ago with that character-filled century, and the 61 he made at The Oval on Friday confirmed that his confidence has been restored. But when England were at their best in recent times - namely in 2004 and 2005 - the Durham all-rounder had to settle for being first batting reserve, and if they are to be really strong again then perhaps that ought to be his station in life.

If fit, Andrew Flintoff will always be in England's first XI. The debate as to whether he should be a batting (No 6) or bowling (No 7) all-rounder continues, however, and judges as good as former captain Graham Gooch believe his technique is not tight enough - against the seaming or spinning ball - for a top six place.

As for wicketkeeper Tim Ambrose, he has been tried at six, seven and eight this summer. The next place may well be 12, or out of the squad altogether, with both Matt Prior and James Foster pushing for tickets to India.

There are two reasons why England have made so few alterations to their under-performing batting department over the past 12 months.

Firstly, the selectors want to avoid chopping and changing. Players may say they try to treat every Test as though it could be their last, but the fear of being kicked out after three or four failures rarely brings out the best in anyone.

Secondly, those batsman outside the squad who should be exerting huge pressure - such as Ravi Bopara, Owais Shah, Rob Key, Joe Denly and Michael Carberry - have failed to string together a run of championship scores that demand inclusion.

The same cannot be said of the bowlers. Steve Harmison did what England demanded after they dropped him by taking a stack of wickets for Durham and, having fought his way back into the team, his performance at The Oval has justified the selectors' thought process in one way but made a mockery of it in another.

On the evidence of Harmison's performance in the final Test of the summer, wouldn't England have been better off with him, rather than Darren Pattinson, when the series with South Africa was still 0-0 at Headingley?

Pietersen was certainly pleased to have Harmison on board in south London, and he returned to The Oval this morning optimistic of launching his reign with a victory. Generally, the new captain has been sure-footed, and quick-witted, during his first game in change, but he was a little too quick to go on the defensive in the face of a de Villiers' counter-attack yesterday.

Still, England remained favourites to take last blood. "We should certainly knock off 197," said bowler Stuart Broad ahead of the run-chase. "We are in a strong position."