Strauss is <i>the</i> man

Duncan Fletcher gave no clues as to who would captain England at the Ashes, but Vic Marks, writing in the Observer, favours Andrew Flintoff.

The way ahead lies with Strauss, asserts Mike Atherton. In the article, Atherton ponders on Trescothick.

is Trescothick on medication? If so, does that affect his state of mind going out to bat? The reason I say that, is that occasionally I had to go on steroids called prednisolone to combat a medical condition – steroids that caused mood swings – not exactly ideal when a key part of batting is controlling your mind and controlling your emotions. Moreover, how will Trescothick handle an Australian tour that is bound to be more stressful and mentally enduring than virtually any other? Can he last the distance; history has shown that he fades towards the end of long, gruelling tours?

England’s squad for this winter will be announced on Tuesday and there is still plenty for the selectors to resolve, not least the captaincy, writes Simon Wilde in the Times.