Pat Murphy reports from the England camp

But Dominic Cork has been ruled out of the side after missing training for the second successive day with flu.

Essex spinner Such has hardly bowled on tour and his elevation to the Test side, ahead of Glamorgan's Robert Croft, comes as a major surprise.

But Croft did not impress in England's last tour game before the Adelaide showdown, against Victoria last weekend.

Surrey fast bowler Alex Tudor, who took five wickets on his debut in the second Test, has been left out, with the third seam spot handed to Dean Headley.

And seven batsmen have been selected for the match, with Graeme Hick and John Crawley both included after Graham Thorpe was forced to return home with a back injury earlier in the week.

'I've been waiting four years' - Such

Alec Stewart and Graham Gooch test the Adelaide wicket

Such made the last of his eight Test appearances against New Zealand four years ago and he has not played on tour for a month - but tour manager Graham Gooch believes he deserves his chance.

"Robert Croft has played a few games and done OK, but now it is time for Peter Such to be given an opportunity," Gooch said.

"You can't not pick somebody just because he's had no cricket because then you would never pick him."

Alec Stewart: We must up our game (BBC Radio 5 Live)

Such admitted: "It's a bit of a surprise but it is the nature of modern touring that if you do not get in for the first game that you have to bide your time and wait for your opportunity.

"I've had four years to think about this but I'm playing for England again and I'm looking forward to it."

Tudor a victim of 'tough selection'

Dominic Cork...out with flu

Tudor can consider himself unlucky after he burst onto the international scene with a fiery display in England's seven-wicket defeat at the WACA.

"Alex did very well in Perth," Gooch explained, "but we have gone for the more experienced bowlers here - this has been the toughest selection meeting I have ever been involved with."

Derbyshire all-rounder Cork has been an ever present for England in the last eight Tests.

But his name was ruled out of contention on Thursday when he failed to shrug off a bout of influenza and was unable to practice in the nets with the rest of the England squad.

Australia are considering playing both leg-spinner Stuart MacGill and Colin Miller, who can bowl seam or off-spin, which would mean Jason Gillespie missing out on his home ground.

Wicketkeeper Ian Healy, who has missed just one of the last 109 Tests, is expected to recover from a thigh strain to be able to play.

Teams for the third Ashes Test:

England: MA Atherton (Lancashire), MA Butcher (Surrey), N Hussain (Essex), AJ Stewart (Surrey, wkt & capt), JP Crawley (Lancashire), MR Ramprakash (Middlesex), GA Hick (Worcestershire), DW Headley (Kent) D Gough (Yorkshire), AD Mullally (Leicestershire), PM Such (Essex).

Australia (from): MA Taylor (capt), MJ Slater, JL Langer, ME Waugh, SR Waugh, RT Ponting, IA Healy (wkt) or AC Gilchrist (wkt), DW Fleming, CR Miller, GD McGrath, SCG MacGill.

Umpires: SJ Davis (Aus) & SA Bucknor (WI).

TV Umpire: P Angley.