Bowling coach David Saker has revealed that England have decided their team for the opening Ashes Test on Thursday, with Chris Tremlett expected to be included.
The third seamer role is the only position seemingly up for grabs in Alastair Cook's XI, with the Surrey paceman competing with Steven Finn and Boyd Rankin for selection against Australia in Brisbane.
Saker has admitted that none of the trio have stood out in the tour's warm-up games, but suggested that Tremlett, who took 17 wickets at an average of 23 in the last series down under, has bowled himself into form in the nets and could line up alongside James Anderson and Stuart Broad at the Gabba.
"I think we're pretty clear in our minds where we're going to go. I'm not going to announce who's going to play but we're confident where we are," Saker told reporters.
"[Bowlers haven't gone as well as we'd like] But I know that the guys we've got in this group are good enough and we're prepared and we're ready for this challenge. In the last week I've seen a big change for Chris Tremlett, so that was a real pleasing thing for us.
"We did have two or three really good sessions in Sydney. We had a good chat about some certain things. The nets were fantastic batting surfaces and he came out of that really well and I think he gained a lot of confidence in where he was."
Australia-born Saker also suggested that wicket-keeper and vice-captain Matt Prior should be fit to play after recovering from the strained calf he suffered during the tour match in Hobart.
Joe Fish
