England to offer Australia preview of test selection

SYDNEY, Nov 16 (Reuters) England are expected to give Australia a preview of their team for the first Ashes test when they play South Australia in a three-day warm-up match starting in Adelaide tomorrow.

With no more practice games left before the first test starts in Brisbane next week, England coach Duncan Fletcher is left with few options other than to field his strongest lineup.

Fletcher has already solved some of the selection riddles by announcing Geraint Jones will keep wicket but is still undecided about his spinner, with Ashley Giles and Monty Panesar vying for the job.

The sudden departure of opener Marcus Trescothick, who returned home this week after a recurrence of a stress-related illness, has at least solved the dilemma over choosing the batting lineup.

Alastair Cook, Ian Bell and Paul Collingwood were all fighting for two middle-order spots but Trescothick's demise will allow Bell and Collingwood to hold their positions while Cook opens the innings with Andrew Strauss.

Collingwood was involved in the England one-day squad that toured Australia four years ago but did not play an Ashes test until the final match of last year's series in England.

The 30-year-old failed to make a significant score in that match but said the experience had whetted his appetite for more.

''It gives you a taste of the challenges, the mental side of the game, everything you do -- it's the biggest challenge in your life,'' he told reporters in Adelaide.

''That game last year with the pressures and the atmosphere, you want to have more, which is why it's been a big kind of drive to get into this side all year.

''Hopefully I've come on as a player since then, playing 12 months of test cricket and improving, so you're a bit more confident about your game.'' Collingwood said the mood in the English camp remained upbeat despite the loss of Trescothick and the team were confident of retaining the Ashes.

''It actually brings a smile to my face how different it is to four years ago,'' he said.

''We were talking about competing at that time but four years later we're not talking about competing any more, we're talking about winning.'' REUTERS SAM RAI1904