‘We won’t be defensive’

Michael Vaughan has rejected suggestions that England could be accused of defensive tactics if they opted to play an extra batsman rather th...

Michael Vaughan has rejected suggestions that England could be accused of defensive tactics if they opted to play an extra batsman rather than a bowler in the fifth and final Ashes Test at The Oval.

The home captain, asked whether England might replace injured fast bowler Simon Jones against Australia with batting all-rounder Paul Collingwood rather than specialist swing bowler James Anderson, told reporters: “It will be a tough decision. “It can also be attacking to have an extra batter and to get a few more runs on the board. Whichever way you go you can read it as being attacking or defensive.

“We will just try and make the right decision. But the most important factor is that we play a good game. The result is not going to depend on whichever way we go. “The result will take care of itself if we play a good, consistent game of cricket as we have done over the last three.”

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Anderson would be a like-for-like replacement, although he is more of a conventional swing bowler compared to Jones.

Collingwood, a batsman and world-class fielder, bowls medium pace but would change the balance of the side if selected, improving England’s run-scoring potential but leaving them with less bowling firepower. He conceded he had been surprised at his team’s improvement over the past two years.

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