Are England barmy to recall Harmy as Proteas forced to make do without injured Steyn?

Steve Harmison, seemingly banished forever when the selectors finally lost patience with him in New Zealand, will almost certainly be in England's squad today as they try to pick up the pieces from the Headingley debacle.

Geoff Miller and his new panel, stung by the fierce criticism of their selection of Darren Pattinson for the crushing second Test defeat, face the most stringent examination of their capabilities today when they name a 13-man squad for the must-win game at Edgbaston.

Heavens above: Harmison is praying for a Test recall after his nightmare in New Zealand

Their conclusion appears to be that they must erase the line which was drawn under Harmison when he produced yet another infuriating performance in the first Test defeat in Hamilton.

The man formerly known as the best fast bowler in the world remains the one Englishman capable of producing extreme pace and bounce on a wicket that is likely to suit him.

But whether Harmison would then make the team for the third npower Test which begins on Wednesday remains uncertain.

England are more likely to dismiss their flawed selection in Leeds as an aberration and revert to the four-bowler policy which served them well until they inexplicably called up an Australian-raised bowler after 11 first-class games and asked their Australian-raised wicketkeeper to bat too high at No 6.

Tim Ambrose looks likely to hold off the challenge of Matt Prior and James Foster but will probably be demoted to No 8 in the order, with Paul Collingwood returning at six, Andrew Flintoff at seven and the fitagain Ryan Sidebottom being restored to the side.

That would mean that, as well as Pattinson, Stuart Broad would also be left out. In his case, it is to rest one of the most talented young players in the game, rather than axe him.

It would be the inclusion of Harmison, however, that would provide the biggest talking point. With 41 victims, he is the leading Division One wickettaker in the country and, by all accounts, bowling as well as ever for Durham, as he has another chance to prove in today's Twenty20 finals day.

But when Harmison has ventured out of his comfort zone he has struggled and he has repeatedly turned up for England tours unprepared and out of sorts.

The dilemma for England is whether to ignore the stack of evidence against him returning to the heights of 2004 and 2005 and give him yet another last chance in their hour of need.

It is clear England intended that the axeing of Harmison and Matthew Hoggard would be permanent after the Hamilton defeat but, even though the Yorkshireman's days remain numbered, the Durham man now seems to be one Ashes hero they really do need to turn back to.

Simon Jones is not yet fit enough to be risked in Test cricket, even though his omission from Worcestershire's game at Lord's this week was part of his rehab programme, while Pattinson's selection ahead of Chris Tremlett proves what everybody knows - that the Hampshire giant is considered too temperamentally flawed to be trusted in an England attack.

Kevin Pietersen, meanwhile, has given the strongest hint yet that England's players will not go to the Champions Trophy in Pakistan, even if the ECB insist they must do so.

The ICC announced on Thursday that the 'mini-World Cup' would go ahead in Pakistan in September even though it is considered a highrisk country for Westerners after bomb attacks in Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore.

The ECB are sympathetic to their players' concerns and are due to decide if England should go when the board meet on August 4.

But Pietersen said yesterday: 'I have reservations about going and, talking to players from South Africa and the West Indies, I believe everybody has reservations about going. I've spoken to David Collier (the ECB chief executive) and he says the decision will be taken out of our hands, which is encouraging, but I will look at everything and if the ECB don't make a decision on August 4 I'll make my own decision.'

I understand the ECB have ruled out the option of sending a weakened team and at the moment it seems as if the tournament may not take place.

New Zealand, Australia and South Africa are taking similar stances to England, while Sri Lanka remains the best alternative venue should common sense prevail.

Meanwhile South Africa say fast bowler Dale Steyn is out of the third Test at Edgbaston after breaking his left thumb at Headingley.

Spinner Paul Harris was cleared to play against Bangladesh A yesterday after slipping in the bathroom in his hotel room. An X-ray revealed minor ligament damage to an elbow.

PROBABLE SQUAD

ENGLAND:
Strauss, Cook,
Vaughan (capt),
Pietersen, Bell,
Collingwood, Flintoff,
Ambrose (wkt),
Sidebottom,
Anderson, Panesar,
Broad, Harmison.