But the management are digging in their heels by refusing to let a bowler have his (unspoken) way. Of course, the paradox is that had he been fit, the Harmison of current direction would be a risky choice.Matthew Maynard, the assistant one-day coach, offered a hint of the likely composition of the team yesterday. It might be a clever ploy to bluff the opposition but he said firmly that Kevin Pietersen will take Andrew Flintoff’s position in the team at No 5. Pietersen was called up late as cover for Flintoff, who flew home yesterday for surgery on his ankle, and his inclusion would be hard on the first squad choice, Ian Bell.It is probable that Marcus Trescothick, who will captain today’s team, will also share the wicketkeeping duties with Geraint Jones, since he will have to fulfil the role in an international if Jones were to suffer mishap. Apart from Harmison, five of the Test team (definitely Michael Vaughan and Ashley Giles, who have remained in Johannesburg, and perhaps Simon Jones, Matthew Hoggard and Andrew Strauss) could be rested.The intention of the others will be to show the coach, Duncan Fletcher, that the diamonds here are not alone in sparkling.. Michael Vaughan’s indomitable side were entitled to party long into the night after their 2-1 series victory in South Africa.

Winning here is a major achievement, and England’s players had every right to celebrate their success in style. To win when you are not functioning to your full potential is a good sign but England, who still have seven one-day internationals to play, will return home in 18 days’ time looking more vulnerable than they did before they arrived in this continent eight weeks ago.There were several outstanding contributions from key individuals during the last six weeks but it was these, rather than a good all-round team effort, which earned England their success. And during periods of play when Andrew Strauss, Marcus Trescothick, Andrew Flintoff and Matthew Hoggard failed to perform, England looked pretty ragged.Poor selection, along with a lack of belief, prevented South Africa exploiting these lapses and these were the principle reasons why England were allowed to get back into Test matches they had no right to be involved in.Strauss confirmed that he is a player of the highest class and deserved to win the Man-of-the-Series award. He is badly out of form and is slipping down the bowling charts from No 1 quicker than a novelty record. Now the teams must fulfil their obligations to the lesser form of the game, the one which they will perform before full, rousing houses in every town: it pays the piper, it does not invariably call the tune.The main piece of housekeeping news from the England camp is that Stephen Harmison, who began the tour as a totemic fast bowler, will not feature in this match or either of the first two one-dayers. What the purists and most of the players would see as the important business is done and dusted Mission has been accomplished.

He’s in good form.”Mark Rimell has decided to miss Saturday’s Victor Chandler Chase with his smart Oneway, who will instead go for the Elmbridge Chase at Sandown a week later. The eight-year-old, on a five-timer, would have been racing from 17lb out of the handicap because of the anticipated presence of top-weight Well Chief.. England’s extended squad moved on yesterday to begin the serious work of preparing for the most arduous and least desired part of their winter tour. In this hot and dusty town today, the genesis of the world’s diamond market, they will take on South Africa A in the only warm-up match before the intensive, seven match, one-day series begins on Sunday. “It’s thought he goes better on a flat track, so we are leaning towards Aintree rather than Cheltenham,” added King.Monty’s Pass, the 2003 Grand National winner, will face six rivals today when he makes his seasonal debut over fences at Thurles. “He will need one more race before we go to the Festival, probably the Adonis Hurdle at Kempton,” said King, who has a 40-1 voucher about his charge for the Triumph Hurdle.In beating odds-on favourite Prins Willem by two lengths, Voy Por Ustedes, acquired in December by the Million In Mind partnership as a replacement for ill-fated Massac, put paid to the Festival aspirations of the James Fanshawe-trained Flat recruit.

The 12-year-old has failed to score over jumps since his Aintree triumph – his most recent outing resulted in a rare tumble over hurdles two weeks ago – and his opponents in this afternoon’s Kinloch Brae Chase include three high-class specialists over the two-and-a-half mile distance in Central House, Rathgar Beau and Native Upmanship, going for a fourth successive win in the Grade 2 race.”I’d thought of running him in the National Trial at Punchestown on Sunday,” said trainer Jimmy Mangan, “but he’d have been giving a lot of weight away. Kelly’s 17.3-1 brace came on Resplendent Glory (13-8) in the six-furlong handicap and Piddies Pride (6-1) in the seller, with Callan runner-up in both.At Huntingdon, Alan King and Robert Thornton were on the mark with two potentially smart young hurdlers, one bound for Cheltenham, the other more likely to be held in reserve for Aintree.Penzance, a half-brother to the crack Flat mare Soviet Song and like her owned by Elite Racing, made it two from two over hurdles as he accounted for 100-1 shot La Professoressa by an easy seven lengths in the second division of the novices’ two-miler. Because of the severity of the offence, it will be further investigated and judged by the disciplinary committee at the Jockey Club’s London headquarters.The one-rounder marred a successful day for the jockeys, as they both rode two winners. After scoring on Rock Music Callan, the leading all-weather rider, completed a 32-1 double on 10-1 shot Double M in the seven-furlong handicap. The stewards later gave Callan a six-day ban for careless riding, finding that he had manoeuvred his mount sharply right-handed about five furlongs out, pushing Elopement off her intended line.The stewards looked at a recording of the weighing-room barney and interviewed both riders as well as weighing-room security officer Graham Prentice and stipendiary steward Paul Barton, who were witnesses to the event. Jockeys Neil Callan and Shane Kelly have been referred to the Jockey Club after a clash in the weighing room in the wake of an incident in the second race.