Mullally and Johnson likely to vie for final place in Test team

Alan Mullally and Richard Johnson join Nasser Hussain in the England squad for the Fourth npower Test against Australia at Headingley.

A consistent season punctuated by eye-catching performances has earned Mullally his recall. He took 5-17 against Australia for Hampshire and 8-90 against Warwickshire in the last round of CricInfo Championship action, and feels that his recall is overdue.

"Even the Australians wondered why I wasn't in the England team - Shane Warne couldn't believe it," said Mullally.

"I took five for 17 for Hampshire against the Australians and perhaps that helped, but I feel I'm bowling as well as at any time in my career."

"He gets the ball into the business area," chairman of selectors David Graveney commented. "He's not bowling as fast, but he is accurate and he doesn't go for many runs, which could be important at Headingley.

"The only reason he wasn't called up for the last Test at Nottingham was that he left the field against Australia as a precaution against a side strain and, as selectors, we had to be careful that didn't flare up again during the Test."

With the pitch expected to suit seam bowling, Robert Croft is expected to miss out so it is likely that Mullally will vie for a place in the final XI with Somerset's Richard Johnson.

Johnson has long been admired for his pace and skill but has suffered from a string of injuries. He was selected in the touring side of South Africa in 1995-96, but was then forced to withdraw with back trouble. He has prospered on the hard pitches of Taunton, however, and has spearheaded Somerset's admirable CricInfo Championship challenge.

"He's waited a long time for another chance," Graveney said. "There is nothing more despairing for a player than to be selected for a tour and then having to pull out through injury.

"He showed in Somerset's semi-final victory over Warwickshire yesterday that he can bowl at some speed and he has performed well throughout the season and deserves his chance."

Graveney had comforting words for the two dropped players, insisting that the door was not closed on either of them. Ian Ward has certainly shown his determination to battle back in the past, having been released from the Surrey staff early in his career.

"Ian Ward has had a tough time against a high quality attack, but he is the sort of player who has the character to go away and learn from his experiences and come again," said Graveney.

"Craig White is a similar situation and has not been dropped because of his batting as some have said, but because he seems to have lost confidence in his bowling.

"I don't see this is a major setback for him because he has the ability to come back, he will remain in our thoughts for the winter and could be an important figure on the sub-continent."

Nasser Hussain also returns to the team. He remains a little short of competitive cricket - with his return to the first team at Essex resulting in an innings of seven in the NUL today - but his influence as captain has been enormous in recent months and Headingley has been a good ground for him. He hit a century against Australia there in 1997 and averages close to 50 in all Tests at the ground.

Australia have already retained the Ashes, and are 3-0 up in the five Test series.