The batsmen who can rescue England

Australia's comprehensive victory in the Headingley Test – they won by an innings and 80 runs inside three days – has exposed the weaknesses in England's middle order batting. With Kevin Pietersen out injured, the efforts of Ravi Bopara, Ian Bell and Paul Collingwood could only muster a total of 16 runs in their six combined innings. With England having to win at the Oval to regain the Ashes, coach Andy Flower suggested that the selectors may have to make changes. These are the people who could fill in.

Robert Key: Now 30, Key believes he's a more complete player than the one who was dropped by England in 2005. Apart from during a dip in form this May and June, he has consistently plundered big runs in the county championship, and he does have a Test double hundred to his name.

Mark Ramprakash: The romantic's choice. In first class cricket this season, Ramprakash has scored more than 1200 runs, at an average of more than 100. As a Surrey player, he will be playing on his home turf, and he has a good record against the Australians. So, what's stopping the selectors from picking him? Ramprakash only scored two centuries in the 52 Tests he played in, and he'll be 40 in a month.

Owais Shah: Up until last winter, when he failed to take his chance with a dismally disappointing showing on the Caribbean tour, Shah was England's perennial batsman-in-waiting. He has always looked stylish at the crease, and he scored a rapid century at the weekend, but his time may have passed.

Marcus Trescothick: A hero of England's Ashes triumph four years ago, Trescothick has since ruled himself out of international cricket, after suffering with depression. But he still has one of the best eyes in cricket, still scores substantial runs for Somerset - he is the highest run-scorer in the country this summer, and whatever the criticisms over his lack of footwork, is certainly worth asking.

Jonathan Trott: Having surprised everybody by including South African born Trott in the squad for Headingley, the selectors should logically pick the in-form Warwickshire batsman for the Oval. But this is an Ashes decider, and Trott would be a debutant. ·