Better get the 'I told you so' bit out the way, Bopara is not, currently at least, an Test Match No. 3, I said so at the start of the season, sadly neither is Ian Bell, he has the technique to make him better suited to the position but is unable to apply it consistantly, but I still prefer him to Key or Shah. So the selectors have got a couple of things right, but it might be too late and what of Bopara now? Ideally I would like to see an in form Pieterson at three and Bopara no higher than four, but what we are looking at for the 5th Test is Bell, Trott and Collingwood at 3,4 & 5 which won't be causing a great loss of sleep in the Aussie camp, it starts to look a little better with Prior, Flintoff, Broad & Swann at 6,7,8 & 9, Anderson 10 and then it's between Panesar, Harmison and Onions for the last spot. I don't think you can play Broad and Harmison in the same team, they are too similar, they can both take wickets in the right circumstances but are both going to be expensive so unless the groundsman at The Oval is convinced there is going to be fairly outrageous pace and bounce Harmison sits this one out. Panesar's inclusion is also dependant on the opinion of the groundsman, it will need to be a bit of a burner to see Monty back as he's not in the best of form, though if the surface is offering help I still believe he will be able to use it.
Unless the pitch is going to offer a fair bit by way of spin, pretty much from the get go, I think the Aussies will do what they need to do to retain the Ashes, but I do hope that they don't bat us out of it over the first two days and spoil, for the viewing public, what could the climax to a very good series.
