Jonathan Agnew column

"The problem for Harmison is that he simply has not fired often enough away from home"

So the selectors have decided to move away from Steve Harmison for the tour of South Africa, and recall Liam Plunkett to form a combative seam attack, but with no out-and-out strike bowler.

National selector Geoff Miller said Harmison's form has not been consistent enough over the past 12 months.

Harmison, in turn, might look at the first-class averages for Durham which confirm Plunkett's fine season - 49 wickets at 24 runs each, while Harmison's 51 wickets came at 22.

The problem for Harmison is that he simply has not fired often enough away from home, but England will miss his firepower, especially when dealing with the South African tail.

Only a few months ago, we were hailing a saviour in Ravi Bopara, who chalked up three consecutive hundreds against the West Indies and seemed destined to bat at number three for years to come.

A poor Ashes series has done for that - and he has also been axed from the one-day squad to complete a thoroughly chastening summer.

That leaves Warwickshire pair Ian Bell and Jonathan Trott to vie for the number three spot, and Trott seems a good bet to me.

Kevin Pietersen will join the tour after the two opening Twenty20 internationals and will be assessed ahead of the one-day internationals which immediately follow.

606: DEBATE

" It would be nice to have a 90mph+ bowler, but it's not the be all and end all "

That seems positive news, and even if he can't play the whole series (five games) he should at least be in a decent position to be considered for the Tests.

Luke Wright is the only real surprise, and something of a left-field punt as England look to fill Andrew Flintoff's now vacant Test role.

I would think that Stuart Broad is a shoo-in for number seven, while Steve Davies, rather than Tim Ambrose, is the wicketkeeping deputy to Prior.

An improved Champions Trophy was not enough to save Owais Shah's place in the one-day squad. He scored 98 against South Africa, but has not been consistent enough and was increasingly shown up in the field.

Meanwhile, Alastair Cook returns after only sporadic one-day appearances over the last 18 months.

RELATED INTERNET LINKS:
Search for more Jonathan Agnew columns
Pick your England XI
Jonathan Agnew on Twitter
England and Wales Cricket Board
Cricket South Africa
TMS Ashes Archive
Your say on 606
Scorecards on Mobiles
Download our cricket masks
Five Live Cricket
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites