Strauss is ready to stand up once again

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Opener Strauss, 31, has missed out on the job twice before, with the ECB decision-makers following gut feeling, rather than applying cold logic, when they appointed Andrew Flintoff in 2006 and Kevin Pietersen two years later.

Flintoff was the romantic choice to take England to Australia while Michael Vaughan fought his career-threatening knee injury but the all-rounder who had done so much to win back the Ashes in 2005 soon found there was far too much on his plate.

Flintoff's relationship with then coach Duncan Moores deteriorated horribly and England were ultra-conservative rather than bold with their selections. With Strauss as captain, perhaps Flintoff would once again have been a world-beater with bat and ball.

Being passed over in 2006, having led England for much of the previous summer while both Flintoff and Vaughan were injured, badly hurt the Middlesex batsman. But no one would have guessed it from his body language. Losing out again last August, this time to Pietersen, came as much less of a shock to Strauss because, by then, he had lost his place in the one-day side and only recently found a way back into the Test team after a run of poor form.

But Strauss, who was seen at Lord's this afternoon, has never said "never" when it comes to leading his country again and he is the only realistic choice to take charge for next month's First Test in Jamaica.

Opening partner Alastair Cook may be an international captain at some stage but, at the age of 24, that stage has not come yet.