Only then will the wearing process crucial to achieving reverse swing be slowed long enough for England's middle-order to play themselves in.With Graeme Hick having surely played his last Test of the summer, and Mark Ealham batting two places too high, England need to construct a new middle-order. Trying to overcome an early setback in a three-Test series often requires far greater risk-taking and sacrifice, and Russell, ever the philosophical team man, has probably already steeled himself against being dropped.However, apart from the unfair treatment towards Russell, who scored his second Test century a month ago against India at Lord's, reverting the keeper's role to one of batting all-rounder is a futile one. In the 16 Tests where he has kept wicket, Stewart averages just 25 as opposed to 45.5 he averages when playing solely as a batsman.As a team England have fared even less well with Stewart behind the stumps, having won just four of the 16 matches.True, the logic of strengthening the batting against such a penetrative attack may be sound one, but once the ball starts to swing late and fast, one more middle-order batsman is not going to make a whole lot of difference.If England really want to combat the mid-innings dangers posed by Waqar and Wasim, they must persuade the Headingley groundsman to produce a soft well-grassed pitch with lush surrounds. Of course, both are the knee-jerk reactions of unexpected defeat: England's coming after a wicketless last morning at Lord's when a draw looked likely; Botham's on the back of an unexpected verdict from the jury.

However, given time spent in sensible surroundings each ought to be scotched and neither is worth the ridicule further humiliation would bring. And yet from the selectors' point of view, the temptation will be overwhelming. But if Ian Botham is considering an appeal - crying foul over his opponent's tactics in the High Court - England's selectors, in a cry for help, are once more set to repeal the specialist wicketkeeper's role and hand the gloves back to Alec Stewart for next week's Headingley Test. After a week where English cricket past and present suffered resounding defeats at the hands of Pakistan, familiar alarm bells are beginning to sound. Elsewhere on the card, the Nassau Stakes seems to be at the mercy of Last Second (3.10), who was runner- up in Ascot's Coronation Stakes, while Golden Fact (next best 2.30) must go close in the nursery.. "But they've put a lot of water on the track and this is a horse who needs to hear his hooves rattle.

He will go there as well as he can be and if it was like it was last year I'd be quite confident, but he may end up finishing too late."Given that he has so many other factors in his favour, that Goodwood do not intend to water the straight course, and that a hot day is forecast, Shikari's Son may be worth an each-way interest at around 25-1.The best win option, though, is SIR JOEY (nap 3.45), who ran exceptionally well to finish sixth when poorly drawn for the Wokingham and was unsuited by a slow pace at Chepstow last month. And then there were two.Given that he won so well 12 months ago, it seems astonishing that Shikari's Son will set off today on a handicap mark of 84, 8lb lower than last year. He is the best handicapped horse in the race and saves his best for high summer, but one doubt remains in the mind of John Cullinan, who has taken over training duties from John White."He's a lot better in, we've got a good draw and he goes well on the track," Cullinan said yesterday. Since a three- year-old has not won the Cup since 1982, the last-named can also - reluctantly - be discarded. Cyrano's Lad is a proven front-runner, and should give those drawn high a crucial tug for the first half-mile.Taking into account the weight, the draw and the odds, three names present themselves: Shikari's Son, Sir Joey and Sylva Paradise. Since Goodwood has recently installed a new watering system, it is not possible to use previous results as a guide, but there can be little doubt that the real pace in the race will be on the far side. Even then, the shortlist stretches to at least 10 names, including excellent performers as last year's Wokingham winner, Astrac, Emerging Market, who won this year's renewal of the Ascot handicap, and To The Roof.The only way to reduce the possibilities any further is to take a view about the effect of the draw this afternoon.