Strauss given a Test chance

	Andrew Strauss: no watching role in Dunedin © Getty Images

Andrew Strauss has been given another chance to stake his claim for a recall to the Test side by being named in the England XI to for their warm-up match in Dunedin. His inclusion is at the expense of Middlesex team-mate Owais Shah, who underlined his own credentials with 96 against an NZ Invitational XI earlier this week.

Strauss was left out for the tour of Sri Lanka before Christmas after a run of 25 innings without a hundred, and opted to play for Northern Districts in New Zealand ahead of the current series for which he was recalled.

"This isn't the Test line-up yet, so it's a bit early to assume things," Strauss said. "Owais has shown a lot of form in county cricket for a long time and he's done pretty well in the one-dayers and he'll be pretty keen to get an opportunity in the Test team. But that's always the case on tours, there are 15 or 16 players vying for 11 places." Alastair Cook and Michael Vaughan will open the innings with Strauss being handed the No. 3 slot.

In a virtual full-strength side, Chris Tremlett is included and most believe it is now a straight choice between him and Steve Harmison, assuming that Ryan Sidebottom recovers from his hamstring strain.

England XI Michael Vaughan (capt), Alastair Cook, Andrew Strauss, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Paul Collingwood, Tim Ambrose (wk), Chris Tremlett, Matthew Hoggard, Steve Harmison, Monty Panesar.