Shah gives Test selectors headache with 96 in Dunedin

It is obvious that England want to thrust Andrew Strauss straight back into the Test team after his absence in Sri Lanka even though he has done little to prove that his long barren run is now over.

Yet on the first day of a two-day practice match against an Invitational XI at the picturesque University Oval here, Strauss was unable to follow the script, falling in bizarre fashion for four when he hit his own wicket trying to stop a Mark Gillespie delivery from rolling back onto his stumps after he had defended it.

Another part of the first Test master plan sees Tim Ambrose making his debut in the wicketkeeper-batsman's slot vacated by the unfortunate Matt Prior ahead of one-day specialist Phil Mustard, but again England were thwarted in their attempt to bed in their probables, Ambrose falling for just two on a day when bat largely dominated ball and England cruised sedately to 369 for nine by the close.

And just to further complicate the picture, the main contribution of the day came from a man who has already been earmarked for the role of reserve batsman here that he filled while Ravi Bopara floundered in Sri Lanka before Christmas.

Owais Shah was unfortunate to miss out in favour of one good friend of his in Bopara and now seems destined to be sidelined again to make way for another in Strauss, who will probably open the batting in the first Test in Hamilton on March 5 with Alastair Cook, captain Michael Vaughan returning to his favoured position of three.

Yet if yesterday was to be Shah's last innings on this tour, which is possible with England planning to field their Test team in the three-day first-class match starting on Thursday here, then he clearly wanted to go out in style.

Shah top scored with 96 as England made a rapid conversion from coloured clothes to whites by starting the second leg of this tour just two days after they completed a disappointing one-day series, taking advantage of short boundaries and an inexperienced attack to 'make sure the selectors don't forget me.'

His reminder was not without its flaws, Shah seemingly being brilliantly caught off the inside edge by keeper Gareth Hopkins on 28, only for the umpire to shake his head, and being dropped 10 runs later by Sam Wells off the unfortunate Gillespie.

Yet they were rare blemishes and Shah was furious with himself when he helped a short ball from off-spinner Will Somerville round the corner only to see Gillespie, looking for a New Zealand Test recall after injury, take an expert catch. He was four runs short of a century that would have spoken volumes for his desire to gatecrash the England party but now he must wait to see if his effort is enough to force a selectorial change of heart.

"Strauss has done well against the best teams so things are in his favour," said Shah afterwards. "but I like to think I'm putting pressure on the selectors by showing them what I can do. I'm guessing but I think we will play our Test team in the three-day match and I just hope I can get a chance there and press for inclusion by making runs again. Runs on the board always count for something."

True, but it would still be a major surprise if England had a rethink now and plumped for a man who again needs to prove himself after a disappointing one-day series. Shah is rapidly becoming one of the enigmas of English cricket, seemingly full of unorthodox talent but still yearning to establish himself.

There are no such problems for Cook who, while also finding himself under scrutiny in limited overs cricket, has no worries in the longer game, easing like a thoroughbred into his stride by easing his way to 85 off 81 balls with 17 fours after Strauss and Vaughan had fallen cheaply.

Ian Bell also helped himself to some fairly cheap runs, only the classically orthodox and promising Somerville impressing on a pitch that offered turn to take three wickets, adding a keeper's double of Ambrose and Mustard to his fortuitous snaring of Shah.

Then it was up to the bowlers, including Steve Harmison and Monty Panesar, to take as much as they could from this artificial but pragmatic exercise before the slightly more serious business of the three-day match on Thursday.