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England short on time to solve Ashes issues

Three spots in top six uncertain despite hosts on verge of series triumph after day three of fourth Test against South Africa

England may be in a winning position in this final Test against South Africa but they find themselves with myriad selection headaches ahead of the Ashes.

Moeen Ali's brutal cameo at the end of this third day rescued England from yet another batting collapse as they reached the close on 8-224 in their second innings.

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Moeen's unbeaten 67 from 59 balls helped the hosts establish a lead 360 by stumps. It should be enough to wrap up victory over the final two days and a 3-1 series win.

However, the identity of England's top six for the Ashes is still as clear as mud.

What we do know is that Alastair Cook, Joe Root and Ben Stokes will be there come the opening Test against Australia at Brisbane in November.

Yet there are worrying gaps elsewhere, with an opening partner for Cook, a No.3 and a No.5 all still up for grabs.

Keaton Jennings is the 11th partner Cook has had at the top of the order since the retirement of former captain Andrew Strauss in 2012.

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There is surely going to be a 12th come England's series against West Indies later this month after Jennings produced another tortured display at Old Trafford.

Dropped on nought, the Durham opener eventually departed for 18 after edging Kagiso Rabada to slip. His painstaking innings, spanning 63 balls, was hard to watch and he finishes this four-match series with just 127 runs at an average of 15.87.

Overall, Jennings' average after six Tests is 24.50. However, he has been dropped five times during his brief career, including on nought before he went on to make a century on debut against India at Mumbai last December. If those catches had been taken Jennings' average would be seven; the 25-year-old cannot claim to not have had luck on his side during his failed Test career.

England would like to call up Haseeb Hameed for Jennings after the Lancashire opener's promising start to his Test career in India last winter, where he struck two half-centuries in three matches and looked composed beyond his years for a player who was just 19 at the time. Hameed, though, has had a terrible season for his county and averages just 19.45 in first-class cricket this northern summer.

So it appears likely Surrey's Mark Stoneman will have three Tests against the West Indies to establish himself in England's team before the Ashes. That's not long to bed himself in, and in terms of preparation for the biggest series of them all, it is far from ideal.

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Even if Stoneman succeeds in England, he will enter the Ashes with serious question marks over his ability to see off Australia's pace attack.

Tom Westley has had two Tests in the No.3 position. Although he made an encouraging debut against South Africa at The Oval, scoring 25 and 59, he will need runs in the final three Tests of the northern summer to book his seat on the plane to Australia.

Even then he will be another lacking experience at the top level heading into the Ashes.

Then there is Dawid Malan. Like Westley he has played just these final two Tests against South Africa but his return at No5 – 35 runs at 8.75 – means he will be lucky to be given another opportunity against the West Indies.

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Quite frankly Malan's sketchy innings on day three of this final Test – he was dropped on three before eventually falling for six – should see him dropped, coming as it did after three previous failures.

Who England choose to replace him with at five, though, could be the most interesting shout of all.

Gary Ballance, in contention for a recall for the West Indies series if he can overcome a fractured finger in time, and Alex Hales, now a middle-order batsman for Nottinghamshire after his failed first spell in Test cricket as an opener, are both strong candidates.

England could even choose to go for an extra bowler. With Chris Woakes, a genuine allrounder at first-class level, back fit and set to be called up for the West Indies series, Moeen could easily slot back into the No.7 position, with Jonny Bairstow dropping down to six.

Whatever England's selectors decide, one thing is for sure. They don't have much time to get it right for the Ashes.


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2017-18 International Fixtures:

Men's Ashes Series


First Test Gabba, November 23-27. Buy tickets


Second Test Adelaide Oval, December 2-6 (Day-Night). Buy tickets


Third Test WACA Ground, December 14-18. Join the ACF


Fourth Test MCG, December 26-30. Buy tickets


Fifth Test SCG, January 4-8 (Pink Test). Buy tickets


ODI Series v England


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Second ODI Gabba, January 19. Buy tickets


Third ODI SCG, January 21. Buy tickets


Fourth ODI Adelaide Oval, January 26. Buy tickets


Fifth ODI WACA Ground, January 28. Join the ACF


Prime Minister's XI


PM's XI v England Manuka Oval, February 2. Buy tickets


T20 trans-Tasman Tri-Series


First T20I Australia v NZ, SCG, February 3. Buy tickets


Second T20I – Australia v England, Blundstone Arena, February 7. Buy tickets


Third T20I – Australia v England, MCG, February 10. Buy tickets


Fourth T20I – NZ v England, Wellington, February 14


Fifth T20I – NZ v Australia, Eden Park, February 16


Sixth T20I – NZ v England, Seddon Park, February 18


Final – TBC, Eden Park, February 21