Collingwood gets England call after all

Yet, following a once-over from Michael Vaughan and Duncan Fletcher, England's captain and coach, the selectors have asked Collingwood to dash down the M1 and get himself prepared for the crucial match.

"It's been well documented that Birmingham has experienced unusually large amounts of rainfall in the last few days, and this has put the groundstaff under extreme pressure," said David Graveney, the chairman of selectors. "Having looked at the pitch we have decided to add Paul Collingwood to the squad so that we have the maximum number of options available to us."

The decision is good news for Collingwood, who will be hoping to add to the two Test caps he gained on England's tour of Sri Lanka in December 2003, but these are hardly the actions of a thorough team that leaves no stone unturned.

It has been well documented that a tornado passed within 800 yards of Edgbaston on Thursday afternoon, as have the groundsman's concerns over the pitch, which is underprepared following a week of heavy rain in the Midlands.

If journalists are capable of making their way to the ground to speak to the groundsman, then surely those involved directly in the game would have made the effort too.

Collingwood is still unlikely to play but his call-up is a signal that England are concerned about the depth in their batting. If the 29-year-old were to play it would be at the expense of a bowler. Ashley Giles, following another public rant at the way he has been treated, appears distracted. The left-arm spinner does not appear to be in the right frame of mind to play the most important game of his career, and he would be the likeliest casualty if the pitch looks like being a slow, low seamer.