Fletcher considers all-seam attack

James Anderson could return for the third Test © Getty Images

England could be tempted to go into their make-or-break final Test at Lahore with a four-prong seam attack, as they attempt to draw level against Pakistan and salvage their proud record of not having lost a series since the tour of Sri Lanka two years ago.

Speaking to the press upon the team's return to Lahore, Duncan Fletcher, the England coach, admitted that the make-up of the team would come under some scrutiny in the days leading up to the match.

"Our attitude is that we go out to win every Test match, and we'll be going out to win the last one," said Fletcher. "The make-up of the side will be decided this week, and it will be the best side to win the game."

England's strategy for the first two games relied heavily upon their two spinners, Ashley Giles and Shaun Udal. But the pair have managed just five wickets between them in 131 overs, and Giles has been visibly hampered by a hip condition that could force him to miss the one-day series that starts at the end of the month.

"It's a big decision to make but one that's definitely worth considering," admitted Fletcher. "I don't think anyone could have looked at that wicket [at Faisalabad] and thought the side didn't need two spinners. Even Pakistan went in with two and they should know better than us. It was misleading but we've got to be careful, in case we do find one that could turn."

Though Giles has fallen far short of the form that earned him 17 wickets on his last tour of Pakistan, Fletcher confirmed that - fitness pending - he would be the man most likely to keep his place in the event of a fourth seamer. "We have to look at individuals and their experience and what they've done before for us," he said. "Ashley could be the best option."

By that same token, the reserve seamer with the most experience under his belt is James Anderson, who has been waiting in the wings for the past three winters, even since bursting onto the scene in Australia in 2002-03. Anderson's last Test outing, however, was an unmitigated disaster - he was thrust into the Johannesburg Test last January having been sat on the sidelines for too long, and was treated with disdain by the opposition.

Fletcher was mindful of his lack of match practice, but believed he wasn't far short of his best form. "He's getting back to where he is [sic]" said Fletcher. "We won't know until he plays in the games, but when Troy Cooley [England's bowling coach] left, he felt pretty comfortable he was getting his pace and lines back. We'll just have to wait and see until he gets out to the middle."

England have a dilemma at the top of the order as well, with Andrew Strauss having flown home to attend the birth of his first child. Strauss's form has slipped away in this series - he has managed just 44 runs in four innings - but Fletcher admitted his absence would be tricky to cover for.

The three main contenders are Michael Vaughan, whose partnership with Marcus Trescothick was broken up in May 2004 to accommodate Strauss; Ian Bell, whose technique and temperament are reminiscent of Michael Atherton, and the Essex youngster, Alastair Cook.

"We've yet to make a final decision, but we've got a few options," he said. "There's no point rushing in now and regretting it when we've got a couple of days before the Test begins. All could change before then.

"Cook is the outsider at this stage," he added. "We want guys who've played on these wickets and appreciate what these conditions are like. But he is very very impressive, as are all the youngsters who've come out here. Their attitude has been top-draw and it looks as though they want to go a long way."

Though Strauss has not been at his best - and his dropped catch in the deep off Inzamam yesterday was a sure sign that his mind has, understandably, been elsewhere - Fletcher gave a guarded assurance that he would reclaim his place for the India Tests, regardless of the success or failure of the makeshift Lahore line-up.

"There's a very good chance he will, because Andrew Strauss has done very very well for England," said Fletcher. "He's a nuggetty little character who's scored a lot of runs and played some good innings for us, and he looked in the best shape in the nets in Islamabad."

Fletcher admitted that the end of England's run of six consecutive series wins was a disappointment, but added that the team's objectives had swiftly changed. "We set our goals at the beginning of tour and we wanted to win seven in a row," he said. "But now we've got to make sure we go out there and remain unbeaten in this series. We're thinking on our feet about this Test, and want to go in with the right frame of mind."