Collingwood in the Frame for Ashes Finale

England are likely to offset the absence of Simon Jones with the all-round talents of Paul Collingwood, rather than the fast bowling of James Anderson, as they seek to conclude an enthralling Ashes series with victory in today's final Test at the Oval.

Although England will not formally announce their side until this morning, both the captain, Michael Vaughan, and coach, Duncan Fletcher, were tipping towards the Collingwood option last night, even though it would mean abandoning the policy of five specialist bowlers that has brought them a 2-1 lead in the series.

Australia, meanwhile, confirmed Glenn McGrath's fitness yesterday. It would be consoling to regard that as mere propaganda but, barring a sudden relapse, the great bony one will join Shane Warne in seeking a final Ashes hurrah on what for both will be their last international appearance in England.

A draw will suffice for England to regain the Ashes, and while Collingwood's inclusion as an extra batsman would be a more conservative choice, Vaughan was at pains yesterday to challenge the belief that it would be a negative move that would play into Australian hands.

"We are going to miss Simon Jones a lot," he said. "His bowling has been phenomenal in this series. There is no like-for-like replacement anywhere in the world. The format of the team, with five bowlers, is OK when you have got everyone fit. We have to make sure that we go into the game with a positive mindset, but cover all the bases where we can go on to win the game as well.

"I don't see why we should change our approach, whoever we pick. It is an easy option to say that it would be negative to pick Colly. You could call it positive as well. He might get some runs and who is to say that he wouldn't get a few wickets? If you play Jimmy Anderson, who is to say that he will get five wickets or no wickets?"

The unavoidable fact that Anderson was picked as the best of several unconvincing options is likely to count against him. "Jimmy has bowled a lot of overs and taken 51 wickets so that suggests that he has bowled in nice areas and done well for Lancashire," Vaughan said. "He is an exciting talent for the future and he has done pretty well at The Oval before."

England would not dislodge Australia from the top of the ICC world Test championship if they win at the Oval, but research carried out by Cricinfo.com puts them on top of one table - the dismissals achieved by substitute fielders.

England's substitutes have contributed to 18 dismissals in the past four years, followed by the West Indies on 16. Australian substitutes, in the same period, have been involved in only four dismissals and lie bottom. The difference in approach is stark.

Australia's captain, Ricky Ponting, who ranted against England's liberal use of substitutes when he was run out by Durham's Gary Pratt at Trent Bridge, will no doubt restate his objections to Vaughan at the toss today - unless Vaughan is tactically replaced by a professor of probability.

Ponting underlined yesterday that McGrath was worth two bowlers to the Australian team - both a strike bowler and a man to keep things tight - but Australia's fear will be that his elbow gives way, in which case he will be worth no bowlers at all. Australia would then be left with Warne, Brett Lee and Shaun Tait in his second Test.

Trevor Hohns, Australia's chairman of selectors, suggested the risk was negligible." He has been passed fit," he said, "and that means we have every confidence that he will get through the game."

England (probable): Trescothick, Strauss, Vaughan (capt), Bell, Pietersen, Flintoff, Collingwood, G Jones, Giles, Hoggard, Harmison.

Australia: Langer, Hayden, Ponting (capt), Martyn, Clarke, Katich, Gilchrist, Warne, Lee, McGrath, Tait.