CRICKET PREVIEW:AJMAL SHAHZAD and Ryan Sidebottom spent yesterday trying to convince Andrew Strauss of their respective claims to face Bangladesh in the second npower Test at Old Trafford. Unusually for Strauss and the present England regime, the captain came mighty close to unequivocal confirmation that the battle for the final place in England's XI today is solely between the two Yorkshiremen.

The prospect of instead fielding both seamers in a five-man attack appears distant.

So it was that Shahzad and Sidebottom headed for the nets yesterday with the opportunity to demonstrate their merits to be included in a Test expected to be played on a fast and bouncy pitch.

Strauss himself neatly encapsulated the decision of whether to pick the uncapped Shahzad or 32-year-old left-armer Sidebottom. “It’s a choice between youth and experience, and we have to decide what is the best way of winning this Test,” he said.

“With Ryan, we know what we will get. He’s a very experienced campaigner, very good in English conditions, very good against left-handers – and brings that different angle, being a left-armer.

“Ajmal, we don’t know as much about at this stage but are very excited about what we’ve seen – which is why he’s been in the squad. He bowls with good pace, keeps running and can swing the ball both ways.”

Asked whether this morning’s selection will indeed boil down to Shahzad or Sidebottom to bowl behind James Anderson and Lord’s sensation Steven Finn – Graeme Swann as the off-spinner is a given on a surface likely to provide turn – Strauss confirmed: “That looks like the likely scenario at the moment. The balance of the side issue is something we look at on a case-by-case basis, but this wicket should have a bit more in it for the bowlers.

“Generally there’s a bit more pace and bounce, and the spinner usually comes into the game a bit more – so we are probably leaning towards four bowlers.”

A series against Bangladesh, especially one up with one to play, presents an obvious opportunity for England to finally blood Shahzad – who was in the squad to face the same opposition in the sub-continent and in the first Test last week. But Strauss insists short-term ambition still outweighs the longer-term necessity to take the right squad to Australia next winter – just.