The Ashes: Bell's High Note Adds to Panesar Appeal

A pleasant enough lull between two storms. After the sudden departure of Marcus Trescothick and before the frenzy of this Thursday when it all starts in earnest, England's batsmen briefly calmed everyone's nerves as they reached 303 for six at the end of the second day against South Australia.

Now that Ian Bell, who hit 132 yesterday, and Paul Collingwood, who made 80, have spent time at the crease, all of England's Test batsmen have passed 50 on the tour. Which is good news for the fretful - and, maybe, Monty Panesar.

When Panesar was selected, ahead of Ashley Giles, for England's final warm-up game, it was reasonable to assume that the tour selectors had made up their mind. They had opted, to general surprise, to take the bold course: to lengthen the tail but to include the most potent spinner, Panesar.

Surely if they wanted Giles in Brisbane he had to play here; he has only had four days' cricket in a year. Even when Steve Harmison was withdrawn from the XI playing against South Australia, the tour selectors opted for Sajid Mahmood.

Then we heard from Duncan Fletcher that Panesar's selection for the Test was 'not set in stone' and that this was a shift in thinking, dictated by Trescothick's departure. This was an unusual argument. The absence of Trescothick is a blow, but it was strange that the England coach, by implication, should query the ability of Alastair Cook, who will inherit Trescothick's role at the top of the order and Collingwood, who takes his place in the team, to be effective replacements. It hinted that Fletcher was clutching at straws to restore the solidity that Giles brings to the lower middle order.

Take nothing for granted until Thursday. Yesterday Giles spent several hours wheeling away in the nets. He was joined for some of the time by Harmison and no adverse reaction to the paceman's increasingly fragile body was reported. The surface at the Gabba is likely to suit Harmison more than any other in Australia and England will be anxious that he is fit and capable of firing.

Likewise the Australians have some uncertainties about their squad. Damien Martyn withdrew from Western Australia's recent game but he is expected to be fit in time. The prognosis for the all-rounder, Shane Watson, is not so good. Michael Clarke has been called up as cover.

England may not welcome that change. Clarke has already succeeded at Test level; Watson has not. But if Clarke plays Australia will be reverting to four specialist bowlers. Three of those would, of course, be Brett Lee, Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne. As for the fourth, in Watson's absence they might be more inclined to play the dependable Stuart Clark rather than the wildcard, Shaun Tait.

Australia's choice will be an interesting indicator of how committed to all-out attack they are going to be in Brisbane. The same applies to England's agonising over which left-arm spinner to play.