British media put spotlight on England bowlers

British media sounded a nervous warning on Tuesday about the effectiveness of England's bowlers after the side drew the third Ashes Test against Australia at Edgbaston.

Newspapers raised questions about the fitness of key all-rounder Andrew Flintoff who, although starring with the bat, went wicketless in the crucial match against the Ashes-holders.

"For all his huff and puff, his bowling had no persistent thrust. By mid-morning he looked more like Forlorn Fred," columnist Simon Hughes said in the Daily Telegraph.

After leading England to victory in the second Test, the injury-prone Flintoff, who has said this will be his last Test series, appeared to be struggling with a longstanding knee injury in the latter stages of the match.

Former England captain Nasser Hussain said serious questions must be asked in the England camp about Flintoff's position in the side for the fourth Test.

Hussain said Flintoff should remain if he and the medical team were confident that he could play as well as his outstanding performance in the second Test.

"But if he feels his role is likely to be limited again I would consider bringing in Steve Harmison for Stuart Broad," he wrote in the Daily Mail.

"England will need a hit-the-deck bowler and, if Flintoff is unable to be that man, then his great friend Harmison must be."

Former England captain Mike Atherton singled out captain Andrew Strauss, saying his decision-making on the final day was at times "puzzling".

"(Bowler James) Anderson was ignored for the first hour of the day which was strange given his five-wicket haul in the first innings," Atherton wrote in the The Times newspaper.

Monday's draw left England 1-0 up in the five-match series with two to play ahead of the start of Friday's fourth Test at Headingley.

"England of course still have the upper hand and a 1-0 lead, but this is the time when the fingernails start to get chewed down," columnist and former England cricketer Mike Selvey said in the Guardian newspaper.

"There have been signs in this game that the Australian bowling, particularly Mitchell Johnson, is starting to slip into gear.

"The batting looks solid, unless the ball moves laterally. This series could still be touch and go."

Selvey concluded that "England have three days to shuffle the pack and look for a winning hand."

England are due to name their fourth Test squad on Tuesday.

But former England bowler Ian Botham was upbeat about England's chances of snatching the Ashes, and insisted Australia were still the side under pressure in this series.

"They are still the ones under the cosh, still the ones without a win this summer and still the ones who have yet to bowl us (England) out twice," Botham wrote in the Daily Mirror.