England's spin surprise

By Jonathan Agnew BBC cricket correspondent

England's selectors have sprung a surprise in deciding against calling up a second spinner for the deciding Test at The Oval which starts on Thursday.

Traditionally, and particularly at this time of the year, slow bowlers have enjoyed the conditions in Kennington.

And it is widely expected that India's spinners, Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh, will be India's greatest threats when the match gets under way.

In fact, the decision by Messrs Graveney, Miller, Hussain and Fletcher speaks volumes for the dearth of quality spinners in this country.

Irani looks set to sit out the Test

Had there been a class off-spinner to compliment Ashley Giles, I would not mind betting that he would have been in the squad - especially since the selectors have not yet seen the pitch.

Richard Dawson accompanied Giles to India and New Zealand last winter, and will probably be chosen for the Ashes, too.

But he will not be feeling that this is a great show of confidence in his ability.

The final choice will come down to England's boldness and urgency in seeking a series-winning victory.

This would probably be best achieved by choosing five bowlers - four of the quicks and Giles - and that means going into the game with a weakened batting line-up.

This policy would rule out Ronnie Irani, who played the last of his three Tests three years ago, and also Robert Key.

It might be a defensive way of looking at it, but that probably represents Key's best chance of going to Australia

Kumble poses a major threat

A couple of failures in this Test, and he might well have been overlooked.

Now, however, he is still in pole position to be England's stand-by opener on the tour.

Hussain will want Alex Tudor to play because he adds some depth to the batting.

Matthew Hoggard and Andy Caddick are certainties to play - although Caddick was disappointing again in the C and G final.

So Cork and Harmison will fight it out for the last slot.

There will be a temptation to go for Dominic Cork because he could bat at number eight.

But his bowling has been so far short of the mark in his Test appearances this summer that I am surprised he is even in this squad.

Steve Harmison will generate pace and bounce on the hard surface, and he would be in my starting line-up.