The 23-year-old Yorkshire all-rounder was called into England's one-day squad as cover after injuries to Ryan Sidebottom (hip) and Chris Tremlett (heel) ruled them out of yesterday's one-day international against Scotland and next week's Twenty20 international at Chester-le-Street. Despite rain preventing a result yesterday at the Grange, Bresnan impressed taking 2-34 from his eight overs as Scotland were restricted to 156-9.

There was no time for Bresnan to show off with the bat, as rain finally brought a premature end with England on 10-0.

It is a welcome call-up for a player who has impressed at county level this season, two years after his international ambitions came to an abrupt halt with four difficult appearances against Sri Lanka during a 5-0 whitewash for the tourists.

"He's a bit older and wiser and he's probably gained an extra yard of pace, which he probably needed internationally," Moores said.

"He's done very well this year and he's pretty much a three-dimensional player because he bats, bowls and fields.

"It's exciting for him to get another chance and he'll have learned a lot from those games he played against Sri Lanka so his challenge is to use that knowledge he's got from county cricket over the last two years and try and make a real impression.

"He's very much a viable option for selection – we wouldn't have called him into the squad otherwise – and it gives us options because he's another bowler who bats a bit."

During his last incarnation as an England player, Bresnan averaged just 17 with the bat from four innings and had an economy rate of 6.76 per over – including conceding 29 runs in only two overs in his previous appearance at Headingley.

But his improved form for Yorkshire has earned a recall ahead of more experienced players like Dimitri Mascarenhas and gives him the chance to impress with Sidebottom missing Wednesday's Twenty20 international and Tremlett out for around 10-12 days.

Kevin Pietersen's first decision in his new role as captain of England's senior sides has been to promote Owais Shah to No 3 in the one-day team's batting order.

Since being appointed captain just before the final Test against South Africa, Pietersen has had little time to think about his options for the NatWest Series against the tourists, which comprises a Twenty20 international and five one-day internationals.

The Middlesex batsman did not get the chance to showcase his talent in the new position, with England's chase of a victory target of 159 being abandoned after only 2.3 overs following heavy rain, but it signals a change of policy under Pietersen's reign.

"Owais is going to bat at No 3 for the simple fact that I think he was wasted at No 7," explained Pietersen. "He's a high-scoring, quick-scoring cricket player who plays cricket shots to get boundaries and I think down the order he was wasted."

Former England and Yorkshire all-rounder Gavin Hamilton, who played one Test against South Africa in Johannesburg in 1999, top-scored for the Scots with 60 off 119 balls, including four fours and three sixes, before becoming the first of Flintoff's three victims.

"The England game is as big as it gets, it's just a sad and disappointing end to what potentially could have been a semi-decent game," said Hamilton.

"As soon as the fixture came out there was a major buzz around the team. It's a game everyone wanted to play in."