Balance the key for England in Bangladesh finale

England, unusually for a side that has just won a match by eight wickets, face a selection dilemma ahead of the second and final Test against Bangladesh starting in Manchester.

Updated on: Jun 3, 2010, 11:14:39 IST

AFP | By HT Correspondent, Manchester

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England, unusually for a side that has just won a match by eight wickets, face a selection dilemma ahead of the second and final Test against Bangladesh starting in Manchester on Friday.

Pace bowler Tim Bresnan suffered a stress fracture of his left foot during England's comprehensive victory at Lord's, concluded on Monday, and has been ruled out, meaning England must change a winning team.

England's general preference in recent times has been to go with six batsmen and four bowlers.

If they stick with that policy World Twenty20 winner Ryan Sidebottom, now at Nottinghamshire, and the uncapped Ajmal Shahzad, an unused member of England's squad in the Caribbean, face a shoot-out to replace their fellow Yorkshireman.

But there were times when, with the old ball and the sun out, England's four-man attack looked laboured at Lord's, even though fast bowler Steven Finn took nine wickets on his home debut.

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