Butcher and Key fight for batting spot

By Martin Gough

It is a mark of England's recent success that there is just a single question mark hanging over the make-up of their batting order for the first Test against South Africa.

Butcher and Key look like rivals for a single batting spot

After seven consecutive Test victories, England have no need to change around a line-up that averaged 52.6 runs per wicket over that time.

But Mark Butcher, who missed the second half of the summer with knee and neck injuries, is pushing to return in the first Test, which starts on 17 December.

Currently occupying the third batting place is the sizeable frame of Rob Key, his stand-in against West Indies, who hit 221 at Lord's and opened this tour with a knock of 87.

After a year in which England's strength in batting depth has been proven by the performances of Key, Andrew Strauss and Ian Bell, there is no need to look to plan too far ahead.

It could count in Key's favour that there's so little time before the first Test Mike Gatting

Mike Gatting, former England captain and selector, believes the focus has to remain on which batsmen will give the tourists the best chance of beating South Africa.

"The thoughts will be: Let's win the series and take each Test as it comes," he told BBC Sport.

"A lot of players have come in so the back-up is not a problem but we've got to keep winning Test matches."

If possession is nine-tenths of the law, 25-year-old Key gets the nod, but if the selectors opt for extra know-how, 69-Test veteran Butcher will be in like a shot.

Gatting continued: "Butch has the experience and before his injury he was playing well, but he has been out for six months.

BUTCHER v KEY Mark Butcher Born: 23 August 1972 Career: 69 Tests, 4191 runs at 34.92 Last four Tests: 52, 61, 26, 6, 4, 5*, 5, 59 Robert Key Born: 12 May 1979 Career: 12 Tests, 622 runs at 32.73 Last four Tests: 221, 15, 29, 4, 6, 93*, 10 Pick your England XI

"Key has done nothing wrong and it could count in his favour that there's so little time before the first Test.

"But that would be very hard on Butch."

After their opening one-day match, in which Key hit 87 and Butcher was dismissed for six in fading light, England have one more game to prepare.

In that three-day game against South Africa A, beginning on Saturday, they are likely to field what they expect to be the Test side.

Butcher played every Test of England's last tour to South Africa in 1999/2000 but struggled for form and has admitted he lost focus because of personal problems.

Key has done everything asked of him since the beginning of the county season From BJ Have your say on TMS

Although this is Key's first tour to the Republic, Gatting believes the conditions are not too alien, generally favouring batsmen.

If they both had similar preparation, Gatting, a former number three batsman himself, might just hand the spot to Butcher.

"I've always thought Butch's technique is as good as anyone's - as a left-hander he hits the ball in the right places," he explained.

"When he's not switched on he can be a bit casual and I sometimes feel he's seeing the ball too well.

"Key is mentally pretty strong but he still has to tighten up his game."

Whether he gets a chance to do that over the next two months will be up to England's selectors.