Blitzed bowlers to get second chance

England’s squad announcement today for the second Test against South Africa looks likely to see the bowling attack which struggled at the Oval given another chance.

A humbling innings defeat in London led to the usual calls for a review of the balance of the side – but last week’s LV= County Championship teamsheets would appear to suggest otherwise.

While the pre-series hype surrounded the battle between the two best pace attacks in the world, it was South Africa’s fearsome top-order batsmen who hogged the limelight at the Oval as James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Tim Bresnan combined for only two wickets.

Steven Finn and Graham Onions are ever-present as threats to the established trio, and were watched by national selector James Whitaker as they went head to head at Chester-le-Street while those who featured at the Oval rested up.

Finn took the new ball for Middlesex as Onions’ Durham side crumbled to 102 all out, the rangy paceman taking one wicket in ten economical pre-lunch overs and returning to claim the last scalp.

Onions responded with one for 36 in 14 overs, figures which did not do justice to the quality of his bowling, but it appears unlikely either will force their way into contention at Headingley.

Nottinghamshire, meanwhile, took to the field without either Broad or spinner Graeme Swann among their number as they bowled out Sussex for 171. A memory of England’s recent past, on-loan Steve Harmison, provided Yorkshire’s international pedigree in the absence of Bresnan against Leicestershire, while Anderson’s Lancashire are not in action this week.

There has even been some talk of a switch to five specialist bowlers, after Ravi Bopara’s return to the side brought only 22 runs and a pair of sloppy dismissals.

His place appears safe, though, after his main rivals for the number six spot were named in the England Lions squad to face Australia A from 7 August, the day after the scheduled finish to the Test.

Eoin Morgan, who was jettisoned after a dismal series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates, was named captain in a squad which also includes Yorkshire’s Jonny Bairstow, the man who was in possession against the West Indies earlier this summer.