Strauss stakes captaincy claim

Andrew Strauss has led England to their first series win since last year © Getty Images

Andrew Strauss will link up with an unchanged England squad for the final Test of the summer having established his credentials as captain for the Ashes.

The Middlesex batsman became England's fourth Test captain of 2006 earlier this summer when he was appointed stand-in skipper following the recurrence of Andrew Flintoff's left ankle problems.

Strauss was told he would lead the side until Flintoff, who was standing in for long-term absentee Michael Vaughan, returned to full fitness, which England hope will be before the opening Test against Australia in November.

After a shaky start, Strauss has grown in stature and has presided over an outstanding npower series victory over Pakistan, England's first since last summer's Ashes triumph.

“Winning the series was an outstanding team effort with everyone playing a part and I am particularly pleased for Andrew, who took on the Test captaincy in difficult circumstances after our defeat by Sri Lanka in the NatWest Series,” enthused chairman of selectors David Graveney.

“He deserves full credit for his leadership of the team and I am sure he and the rest of the players will be doing their utmost next week to ensure that we can finish the series with a win.”

Strauss has grown in stature since taking charge of England this summer © Getty Images

Strauss' development in the role has provided the selectors with a tricky decision to make before the winter tour schedule with Flintoff also presenting a compelling case after leading England to an outstanding victory in Mumbai during the winter.

Coach Duncan Fletcher has already indicated the selectors will have to talk further about the captaincy issue before anything is decided, but a resounding 3-0 series win is bound to boost Strauss' chances.

“We will talk about the captaincy at the right time,” said Graveney, who today announced an unchanged 12-man squad for the final Test at the Oval.

“Duncan is right to say that the captaincy needs to be discussed and we will do that and make our decision from that discussion.”

Fletcher and the rest of the selectors have been particularly impressed with the way Strauss has recovered from an uncertain start as captain, when he led England to a 5-0 whitewash in the one-day series against Sri Lanka.

He was then appointed as captain just for the drawn first Test at Lord's while England waited for Flintoff to return, only for the key all-rounder to suffer a setback which resulted in surgery and the confirmation that Strauss would captain for the entire series against Pakistan.

“It was very hard for Andrew just to be appointed for the first Test and I think it has helped him get his ideas across to the team being told he would be in charge for the series,” said Graveney.

The likes of Monty Panesar have excelled in the current Test series © Getty Images

“He's done a very good job and been supported superbly by the other members of the team.

“We have played some excellent cricket in the last two Tests and we want that to continue in the final Test.”

Having lost the services of Vaughan (knee), Ashley Giles (hip) and Simon Jones (knee) for the whole summer, England have also been hampered by further injuries ruling out Jimmy Anderson (back) and Liam Plunkett (side strain) for the series.

But in their absence players such as Paul Collingwood, Alastair Cook and Ian Bell have scored centuries while Monty Panesar and Sajid Mahmood have developed into players of considerable talent.

“Duncan has done an outstanding job given the disruption of the side and the transition we have had to go through this summer,” said Graveney.

“It is not easy to make the step up from domestic cricket to international cricket and it is a tribute to the way the England team is led that players have come in and had success this summer.

“The team has played really well in the last two Tests and the challenge now is to maintain those standards and keep playing cricket of that quality in the final Test of the series.”