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Chairman of selectors David Graveney has indicated that England may go into the first Test against Pakistan with a side including seven specialist batsmen. There are only six batsmen in the list of 12 players awarded central contracts by the England and Wales Cricket Board captain Nasser Hussain, Michael Atherton, Marcus Trescothick, Graham Thorpe, Alec Stewart and Michael Vaughan.

The selectors are now scouring the country and Graeme Hick, Mark Ramprakash and Nick Knight will all hope to press their claims for a recall. But England could instead go for a new face from the ranks of the A team which toured the West Indies during the winter, like Surrey opener Ian Ward, or someone in excellent form on the county scene.

Graveney was at Bristol on Friday, with Glamorgan's Michael Powell one of the players under scrutiny. "We'll go to Lord's with both options covered in other words, playing a balanced attack or going with seven batsmen," he told Sky Sports. Seam bowlers Dominic Cork and Matthew Hoggard, who have central contracts, are recovering well from injuries.

"I know every body looks at Australia but the challenge of Pakistan is not to be underestimated," Graveney added. "I think they're a stronger side away from home and certainly all the stuff about internal rowing, I think that's all a bit of a smokescreen. "I'm sure they'll come at us very strong."

© Dawn