England have been dealt an injury blow, with Tim Bresnan ruled out for the rest of the summer with a back injury, and with Graham Onions out with a broken finger, Chris Tremlett could have his opportunity to play. Steven Finn, Chris Woakes and left arm spinner Simon Kerrigan are also in the squad, but are outsiders to play ahead of Tremlett who has been in the last 2 Test match squads for the games at OT and Durham.
As for Australia, they have named their team in advance so there will be no guessing from them. The tourists are bringing in left arm fast bowlers James Faulkner (on debut) and Mitchell Starc (in his 3rd test of the series) for Usman Khawaja and Jackson Bird. That means that Faulkner bats at 7 and with Watson still with that niggle he picked up in Durham he will be unlikely to bowl here either, after playing as a batsman only in the 2 day match Vs England Lions last week.
So this is what else we can expect from the 2 teams at The Oval:
England
England are chasing a 4-0 series victory, and with an unchanged batting line-up once again, it gives the under firing likes of Alastair Cook, Jonathon Trott, Matt Prior and Jonny Bairstow an opportunity to find some form and score runs. Cook and Trott especially will be England's main concerns, but I and many others have the feeling that runs are just around the corner for those 2. I think that Cook could well score runs now, with less pressure on him with the series won. Trott has his technical issues to resolve, but he looked better in the last test and runs aren't far away for him. Meanwhile, England won't be too worried about Bairstow, as he's a decent young player who will come good with investment, or Prior who's wicket keeping makes up for his lack of runs. However, Joe Root could do with a decent score, because other than his 180 he hasn't made another half century. There are a few questions for him still to answer, and a decent half century at The Oval will answer those nicely.England's bowling has 1 question to answer, who replaces Tim Bresnan? While Chris Woakes is a like for like replacement, I don't think that he is good enough to play Test Cricket at this stage. Simon Kerrigan won't play, as England won't want to play 2 spinners in a 4 man attack. Steven Finn was left out after the 1st test and has done nothing since in County Cricket to suggest he should be recalled for this match. That leaves Chris Tremlett, who is definetly favourite to play this final test and has played well in County Cricket since his return from injury, while his figures wouldn't suggest it. Meanwhile, with no real talk of resting players, Anderson, Broad and Swann should retain their places. Broad played fantastically at Durham and got the reward for his hard work in the series. Swann again should have the perfect conditions to shine, a dry pitch is again expected and with 2 left handers to create rough outside right handers off stump as well as the left handers he should have a field day. Meanwhile, James Anderson will be looking to find form, having been a shadow of the man who bowled at Trent Bridge in the last 2 matches.
Key Man: As mentioned Jonathon Trott is in need of runs and will want to play his part in the last test of the series, he showed small signs of improvement at Durham, and I feel he will kick on here and score plenty of runs. With the Test being played at the scene of his first Test and Ashes hundred on debut, it bring back some great memories for him.
Australia
The tourists have no selection issues for me to debate, having already picked their team. Batting wise, the top order will now need to score more than ever with the batting line-up being slightly weaker. Rogers is playing well right now, and Warner has found some form in the Test matches that he ahs played. Shane Watson could do with some runs desperately before this tour is over, having not really made a big score in the 4 previous tests, the pressure on him is mounting further and further by the match. Steven Smith should be fine, he's had a couple of half-centuries but would like another one in this game, however his place for the winter side should be secure. Michael Clarke has probably been the best batsman and would like to end the tour on a high, but his big hundred at Old Trafford has insured, he pulled his weight in the batting line-up in the series.As for the bowlers, five front line bowlers will be able to share the workload at The Oval, with Mitchell Starc returning and James Faulkner making his debut, with Peter Siddle, Ryan Harris and spinner Nathan Lyon holding retaining their places. Bowling hasn't been Australia's problem in the series, and with these 5 at The Oval it shouldn't be once again. Lyon will have a key role to play in the 2nd innings in the field, on a dry pitch, he should have plenty of rough to play with. Ryan Harris bowled lots of overs at Durham, and may have been rested here, but with 5 front line bowlers he won't have to bowl as much as has had to in previous matches. Both Harris and Siddle have bowled well so far, Harris taking 20 wickets in just 3 matches so far and Siddle on 17 wickets, following a poor match at Durham. As for Mitchell Starc he will be looking to play really well as he eyes an extended run in the team, rather than playing every other Test, and not being able to get any rhythm or form over a series of matches. Finally, James Faulkner will be looking to make an impression on debut, and play well enough to get a spot in the first Test of the return series in November. It should be an interesting game for these bowlers, and Australia will hope that they can do the job.
Key Man: Shane Watson has to pull his finger out in this match, and put in with a big score to help his team. Watson has failed on several occasions during the tour, with only 1 half-century in the series. Without his bowling to distract him in this match, hopefully he can focus on what needs to be done with bat in hand, and answer all of the questions that his Australian critics have of him.
Well, I expect that this match will be another good contest on a dry pitch that will be quite flat to start with, with turn for the spinners later on. England will look to rub the Australian noses in it with a 4-0 victory in the series. Meanwhile, Australia will want to salvage a consolation win and take some positives going into the winter. Whatever happens it should be a good match, and one I look forward to watch unfold over the next 5 days.
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