mystic Dave, cricket psychic

Well, how prescient is my cricketing post of a few weeks ago looking now, in the light of today's developments?

The England management will be sending for another batsman - I say it should be Mark Butcher, but I'd be very very surprised if it was. It'll probably be someone already in Australia with the Academy - my guess is it'll be Ed Joyce, but if it was up to me and it had to be someone from the Academy set-up (thus ruling Butch out) I'd pick Owais Shah.

England's alternative is to stick with what they've got, as it's highly unlikely the replacement will be taking the field at Brisbane (they're bound to bring someone in as backup though, even so). In fact Trescothick's departure solves a bit of a selection headache for Flintoff & Fletcher - i.e. which one of Cook, Bell and Collingwood to drop. For what it's worth I would have dropped Collingwood, but it's academic now. No doubt the medical team will be chanting mystical incantations over Michael Vaughan's knee as well....