Recent Test opener Ed Cowan says whoever England select as their third fast bowler for the Ashes opener will be making up the numbers until Tim Bresnan recovers from injury.
Bresnan won’t play in Brisbane due to stress fractures in his lower back he suffered during the fourth Test of the last Ashes series in the UK.
The 28-year-old hasn’t been officially included in England’s squad, but he’s been training with the group and is expected to be fit for a return for the second Test in Adelaide.
England’s one contentious selection leading into Brisbane – other than a decision on the injured Matt Prior – is the third seamer’s position.
Experienced Chris Tremlett is the favourite, but largely because Steven Finn and Boyd Rankin were far from impressive in England’s seven-wicket tour match win over an Invitational XI in Sydney.
Bresnan took 10 wickets at 29 in three Tests in the winter, and Cowan, an Australian batsman on that tour, said England are vulnerable without the bowling allrounder.
“I just think Bresnan is a massive player for them,” he said.
“He’s a real unsung hero and bowls a huge amount of overs and never really gets hit out of the attack.
“He takes big wickets and as we saw during last Ashes series, scores some really important runs.
“So that’s a huge out and I think Australia will look to exploit that Thursday.”
Bresnan is expected to play in either England’s two-day tour match against a Chairman’s XI in Alice Springs or for an England development squad team in a three-day affair, both scheduled for after the first Test.
But in the meantime, England have a decision to make on who will partner James Anderson and Stuart Broad at the Gabba.
Finn took 3-88 and eight for the match and Boyd Rankin 3-46 in Sydney, and Cowan said there was little to like.
“Boyd bowled beautifully with the old ball (on Friday). That spell I thought screamed Test bowler,” observed Cowan, who scored a maiden ton in Brisbane last year.
“But I reckon that was the only one in the game … I thought they were too short all game and … if you get too short at the Gabba you’ll get murdered.”
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