Bell or Solanki is the Selectors' Dilemma As England Look to Secure Winning Start to Series

The England captain Michael Vaughan and the coach Duncan Fletcher had two main issues to contend with as they debated the line-up against South Africa at The Wanderers tomorrow, the first of seven one-day internationals crammed into 15 days.

Whom should they select for the last batting place, Vikram Solanki or Ian Bell? And which three of their seven pace bowlers should they entrust with securing a winning start?

Fletcher's innate conservatism makes Solanki the slight favourite. He averages only 25.79 after 31 ODIs, a record that has even been inflated with three decent scores against a desperately weak Zimbabwe attack since September. He made 81 in the ICC Trophy in England, followed by scores of 71 and 91 respectively in Harare and Bulawayo.

But Bell is the class act, as was testified by his unbeaten 87 from 104 balls against South Africa A at Kimberley on Thursday. His accumulative style would balance a side which already has quick scorers in Marcus Trescothick and Kevin Pietersen, especially as Andrew Strauss has proved himself to be a more dominant batsman than many first imagined. Bell, simply, can become a natural replacement for the departed Graham Thorpe.

He would also help to flesh out an England bowling attack that, in the absence of Andrew Flintoff, is likely to fiddle its fifth bowler from the medium-pace of Paul Collingwood and the off-spin of Michael Vaughan, perhaps even Pietersen. Trescothick is yet another option but none is that convincing.

It is regrettable that Bell was not given a handful of overs in Kimberley to allow England to assess the worth of his medium pace.

The other point in Bell's favour - and for some it is the only argument that matters - concerns next summer's Ashes series. Rob Key is expected to begin the series at No3 and Mark Butcher, who twice in the past year has lost his place to Key through injury, could expect to be his understudy. But, if Key falters and Butcher's run of injuries persists, then England may find the case for Bell irresistible.

For a 22-year-old who has played only one Test, an Oval debut against West Indies, that would be a considerable ask, even allowing for the indications that his game seems to have developed maturity. England could at least do everything to add to his four one-day caps.

The seam attack is less contentious. Kabir Ali outbowled Alex Wharf to such an extent that he deserves the chance to bat at No9, with the option of being used as a pinch-hitter. Matthew Hoggard's Test heroics will be deemed worthy of a one-day recall - a rare change of heart by the selectors - and Darren Gough is expected to be chosen ahead of Simon Jones and James Anderson. Steve Harmison may return after his calf injury.

South Africa will set great store in AB De Villiers, who will play his first one-day series, but the talents of his main contender as the country's leading young batting talent, JP Duminy, are being overlooked. He made an uncomfortable start to his one-day career, with 29 runs and one wicket in five matches but he received scant opportunity to prove himself in Sri Lanka last year when he batted as low as No8.

Justin Kemp is back in the squad. He played the last of his 14 ODIs in Australia three years ago but has been recalled after a good domestic season.

South Africa squad: Smith (capt), Gibbs, De Villiers, Kallis, Bacher, Rudolph, Prince, Boucher (wk), Hall, Kemp, Boje, Pollock, Langeveldt, Ntini, Nel.

England squad: Vaughan (capt), Trescothick, Solanki, Strauss, Bell, Pietersen, Collingwood, Jones (wk), Giles, Kabir Ali, Batty, Wharf, Gough, Harmison, Hoggard, Jones, Anderson.

Schedule

Tomorrow: 1st ODI Johannesburg

Wed Feb 2 D/N: 2nd ODI Bloemfontein

Fri Feb 4 D/N: 3rd ODI Port Elizabeth

Sun Feb 6: 4th ODI Cape Town

Wed Feb 9 D/N: 5th ODI East London

Fri Feb 11 D/N: 6th ODI Durban

Sun Feb 13: 7th ODI Centurion