Hussain likely to stand by veterans

FOURTH ASHES TEST: Stewart and Caddick expected to survive calls for youth as England attempt to restore respectability against Australia

With the Ashes lost, England have a wonderful opportunity to use one of the world's biggest sporting occasions, the Melbourne Test, as the venue to take their first steps into a brave new future. At the first three Test matches in Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, and against Nasser Hussain's strongest and most experienced team, Australia crushed England as comprehensively as any side has in the little urn's history.

With this in mind, what have England to lose in the remaining two Test matches here and in Sydney by selecting players who may make the world champions work harder for victory when the Ashes series next comes around in two and a half years' time?

Alec Stewart, and to a slightly lesser extent Andrew Caddick, have been magnificent servants to English cricket but, following another hammering at the hands of Australia, are they at 39 and 33 where the future lies? The answer is no. So why not use these matches as an occasion for players like James Foster, Chris Read, Stephen Harmison, Matthew Hoggard and Alex Tudor to show their credentials?

Admittedly, none of those has made the most of the chances they have been given but, if England's goal is to beat this formidable Australian side one day, then the planning has to start now, not in five months' time against Zimbabwe. There is no pleasant way of saying "thank you and goodbye" to players who have given good service, but if Australia can dispense with the likes of Mark Waugh surely England should not be afraid to make a similar jump.

It is not as if Stewart and Caddick have conquered Australia, either. In 32 Test matches against the old foe, Stewart has scored one hundred and averages 29 with the bat. Caddick's record is also uninspiring. He has taken 50 wickets in 16 Test matches at the cost of 43 apiece.

England failed to take the chance of making such an investment at the start of last summer and if they continue to look no further than the next game of cricket they will forever be papering over cracks and fudging issues. Although the selectors may be toying with the idea of change, it appears unlikely they will have the courage to go through with it.

Two limited-over wins against Sri Lanka will have helped morale and weakened calls for wholesale change, but they will have little affect on how this Test match is played. The selectors will also be reluctant to drop two players who are only a quarter of the way through the lucrative 12-month central contracts.

"I have always said that the state of the series does not make the next Test match more or less important" Hussain, the England captain, said. "The Melbourne Test is especially important. As a youngster you always wanted to play against Australia at Melbourne on Boxing Day. We will select as we have always selected and that is to win a Test match. If that can incorporate a few people for the future, then it is a double bonus. But we are not good enough to start handing out caps willy-nilly. You are either good enough or you are not.

"Alec Stewart's contribution this winter has been fine. He has batted and kept well at times. Andrew [Caddick] gets a lot of stick at various times, and some deservedly so, but he kicks through well as he did the other day against Sri Lanka where he was our best bowler."

So it appears the future will have to wait. Instead of calling on the vibrancy and unpredictability of youth, Hussain will be hoping that the big occasion will bring the best out of his team – and stages do not come much larger than this. Depending on the weather crowds of 70,000 to 80,000 have flocked to the Melbourne Cricket Ground for the second most prestigious day – after the Melbourne Cup – on Australia's sporting calendar.

Playing in this vast arena is a special experience. Even though there is a huge hole where a new stand is to be built, it is intimidating, especially if a player finds himself in front of the rowdies of bay 13. Being on centre stage is also exhilarating and the thrill of winning here four years ago – this is the only Test match Australia have lost at home in the last six years – is still fresh in Hussain's mind.

"Four years ago still gives us very fond memories," he said, "and that is why we play the game, to have such memories. For someone like Dean Headley [who took 6 for 60 to win the match] that will be his greatest day as a cricketer.

"I will be telling the boys they have 10 days to turn around a Test match tour by going out there and beating Australia. Even though we have lost the series, that will be a great achievement. There is still a chance left this winter to achieve something very positive and winning here or in Sydney will be something the boys can be really proud of."

What will please Hussain and his coach, Duncan Fletcher, is that England do not have any injury worries. Michael Vaughan, John Crawley, Tudor and Caddick, who limped off after his 10 overs against Sri Lanka on Friday, are all fit for selection and any changes will be entirely in the hands of Hussain and Fletcher.

Judging by the way this pair have worked in the past, Crawley is likely to get the nod over Robert Key, despite the latter's encouraging performance at Perth, and Hoggard will probably edge out Tudor on a pitch that can offer the seamers help on the first day.

For Australia the leg-spin of Stuart MacGill will replace Shane Warne and Andy Bichel should again carry the drinks.

AUSTRALIA (probable): S R Waugh (capt), M L Hayden, J L Langer, R T Ponting, D R Martyn, D S Lehmann, A C Gilchrist (wkt), B Lee, J N Gillespie, S C G MacGill, G D McGrath.

ENGLAND (probable): N Hussain (capt), M E Trescothick, M P Vaughan, M A Butcher, J P Crawley, A J Stewart (wkt), C White, R K J Dawson, A R Caddick, S J Harmison, M J Hoggard.