Broad standing in way of Bresnan making Test return

Both seamers were included in a predictable 12-man squad, announced yesterday, but it is highly unlikely they will take the field together against India on Thursday.

National selector Geoff Miller explained that a watching brief in Nottingham had persuaded him and his colleagues Broad is returning to form in time for England’s major assignment of the summer against the world’s No 1 Test team.

Broad, almost bereft of international wickets so far this season as he has made his way back after a winter wrecked by injury, was dropped for England’s NatWest Series decider against Sri Lanka last weekend to accommodate an extra spinner at Old Trafford.

He was instead prescribed a four-day County Championship match for title-holders Nottinghamshire at home to Somerset last week, and responded with match figures of 53.4-13-162-6 on a benign surface which yielded a stalemate.

“We watched him bowl here at Trent Bridge in the four-day game,” said Miller. “There were signs he was getting back to where he was.”

Yorkshire all-rounder Bresnan is back in an England Test squad for the first time since helping his country to the historic Ashes series victory in Australia last winter.

While Broad was injured for the last three matches of that series, Bresnan came of age with 11 wickets in the last two – before succumbing to a calf strain which ruled him out of this summer’s 1-0 Test series victory over Sri Lanka.

It is the Nottinghamshire seamer, though, rather than his Yorkshire counterpart who probably starts this week as marginal favourite to fill the last place in an England attack otherwise populated by the pace of Chris Tremlett and James Anderson and Graeme Swann’s world-beating off-spin.

Miller said of Broad: “We know what he is capable of doing, and when he puts on that England shirt we feel sure he will be able show exactly that and produce the goods and make it difficult for India.

“They (Broad and Bresnan) are two bowlers who can produce on the day, and we are looking forward to them producing at Lord’s.”

Following Andrew Strauss’s apparent return to form on a very good batting surface, on his one-off appearance for Somerset in India’s only warm-up match, there is little reason for any disquiet in the home ranks.

“We’re playing good cricket at the moment, and India will have to play very well to actually combat that,” said Miller.

“We know they’re a good side, and it could be a fascinating series.”

England squad (for first npower Test v India, starting at Lord’s on July 21): AJ Strauss (captain), AN Cook, IJL Trott, KP Pietersen, IR Bell, EJG Morgan, MJ Prior (wkt), SCJ Broad, GP Swann, CT Tremlett, JM Anderson, TT Bresnan.

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