Australia opt for pace barrage

Australia have taken a sizeable gamble by naming four fast bowlers for the fourth Test at Headingley. Stuart Clark will make his first appearance of the series at the expense of Nathan Hauritz as Australia attempt claw their way back into the series.

The tourists' move is both aggressive and risky, with the dry Headingley pitch appearing suited to spin. But heavy overnight rain has convinced Australia to punt on an all-pace attack of Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle, Ben Hilfenhaus and Clark in their quest for 20 wickets - a feat they have not achieved in the series to date.

Despite declaring his fitness after Wednesday's training session, Brett Lee has been overlooked for the fourth Test. Ricky Ponting, speaking at his pre-match press conference, echoed the concerns of Shane Watson the previous day by questioning whether Lee has enough miles in his legs to be considered for the potentially decisive fourth Test.

A frustrated Lee terrorised Australia's batsmen throughout Wednesday's net session, then fronted the media immediately afterwards to declare himself 100 percent fit. That training run came one month and one day after his last fully fledged hit-out against the England Lions at Worcester, prompting concerns over his readiness to withstand the rigours of a full Test match.

The Australians have twice paid the price for gambling on Lee's health in the past year. Selectors persisted with their senior pacemen throughout the 2008 tour of India, despite him arriving on tour underdone and later battling the effects of Giardia. He claimed eight wickets at 61.62 in four Tests. Lee was also selected to play the Boxing Day Test against South Africa with a sore foot that would later require surgery. He was unable to take the field for the entire third day's play, having managed just 1 wicket for 249 runs in the series to that point.

"Brett ran in as hard as he had for a long time yesterday in the nets," Ponting said. "Most of us batters were on the receiving end of a few short ones. He bowled with some good pace. I'm sure what the selectors will be thinking about right at the moment is if he has done enough bowling at full speed to warrant selection in a Test match. As we know it's not just one day of bowling, it could be two or three days of successive bowling at 100 percent. That's what they'll be tossing up this afternoon.

"The actual injury probably went on a little longer than what Brett would have liked and what we would have liked. I think he's only had a few days of bowling at 100 percent. That's where we have to listen to what he has to say about how he's feeling, but more importantly the selectors have to weigh everything up about where we're at in the series and if we can go in with a guy who has only bowled a couple of days at full pace."

Ponting gave a telling insight into Australia's selection strategy ahead of the Test when, on Tuesday, he was asked whether Headingley was the place where he would feel most comfortable choosing four pacemen . "It probably is," he said. "This is a venue that's actually had a lot of results and when it's like this and a bit cloudy, the ball tends to swing around quite a lot. So we've got to take those things into consideration, one with our selections and two with the guys to play the game. Historically the spinners have found it pretty difficult here.

"The forecast doesn't look great again either so there's the prospect of a shorter game. The possibility of playing another bowler knowing we can take 20 wickets in a shortened game is something we've been discussing."

The case for selection put forth by Clark was a compelling one. The right-armer has bowled with accuracy and consistency in three tour matches - taking nine wickets at 25.00 from 73 overs - and would provide Australia with a containment and pressure-building option they have not possessed all series.

Clark is desperate to add to his 90 wickets in 22 Tests and now has the chance to do so after convincing Jamie Cox, the on-duty selector, he was a superior option to Hauritz.

"There was a big decision made right before the first Test which way we went with our quick bowlers, and definitely his name is in the running for this week," Ponting said of Clark.

Both Siddle and Johnson are averaging more than 40 for their 10 wickets in three games and have given away around four runs an over. Hilfenhaus has been the most impressive operator on tour but needs some tight support if Australia are going to overcome England.

Ponting, meanwhile, noted fragility in England's batting order, which is now without both Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff.

"With Kevin Pietersen out you just read down their list and it looks like a different batting line-up," Ponting said. "If anything, right through the series, we've been just searching a little bit too much for wickets with our quicks. We haven't been able to build sustained periods of pressure on them. If we can do that I'm sure with their middle order the way it is, we can create a lot of chances. That's what we'll be hoping to do this week."