England stars face a new test of nerve

Ravi Bopara, back in the reckoning for a Test place seven months after scoring only 42 runs in five innings on the pre-Christmas tour of Sri Lanka, could be a direct replacement - in more ways than one - for Michael Vaughan (40 runs in five knocks against South Africa) at No3 on Thursday.

It is much more likely, though, that Essex youngster Bopara, 23, will slot in at No5, allowing Ian Bell to return to the first-wicket down spot he would most like to make his own.

As for the attack, Steve Harmison was deemed surplus to requirements at Edgbaston last week, thereby missing the five-wicket defeat which gave South Africa an unassailable 2-0 lead in the four-match npower series and brought about Vaughan's demise.

Pitches at The Oval may not be as quick and bouncy as they used to be. But there ought to be enough life in the surface to encourage Pietersen and coach Peter Moores to grant Harmison a comeback appearance in a match which may be dead in terms of the overall result but has become highly significant for every England player.

Many supporters were urging the selectors to make wholesale alterations this week, even before Vaughan fell on his sword.

Instead, they settled for only one change among a squad of 13 - Bopara for the ex-captain - and that was a move enforced on them by Vaughan declaring himself unavailable.

But, in this last Test of the summer, there are plenty of people playing for places on December's tour of India.

And those that can be considered safe bets should want to get off to a good start with new skipper Pietersen.

"Whatever people say on the outside, we know what's going on in the inside," said chief selector Geoff Miller.

"I'm quietly confident we've got the players to do the job for us.

"We've lost the series a g a i n s t South Africa, but we were in a good position in the First Test and we were in a good position in this last Test.

"It wasn't a massive defeat, we were somewhere near." Thanks to an inspirational spell of bowling from Andrew Flintoff during South Africa's first innings at Edgbaston and the second innings contributions of Pietersen and Paul Collingwood, England did threaten to secure a series-levelling victory until Proteas captain Graeme Smith settled matters with his magnificent unbeaten 154.

But the right team has won this series - and question marks are hanging over most members of the home side.

Andrew Strauss has struggled again against top-class opposition after filling his boots while New Zealand were bowling at him, fellow opener Alastair Cook needs a century following nine Tests without one, Bell too often delivers little after promising a lot and Collingwood must build on last week's career-extending century.

No-one is luckier than keeper Tim Ambrose to be a member of Pietersen's first team, though.

Ambrose's work behind the stumps has been okay, but nothing more than that, and he has looked limited with a bat in his hands whenever bowlers have denied him width.

If the Warwickshire player did not feel under pressure before yesterday's squad announcement he will now with Matt Prior's return to the one-day outfit.

As for England's bowlers, none has taken enough South African wickets and one - probably the weary-looking Ryan Sidebottom - will surely make way for Harmison.