The wicket has traditionally assisted pace bowling - and one thing Pakistan proved, while demolishing England on a placid pitch at Lord's in the first Test, is that it does not need any assistance from the wicket. On a lifeless pitch, Waqar Younis lived up to his sobriquet of Wrecker with a nine wicket haul that made mincemeat of England's supposed cricketing renaissance.

Headingley by tradition aids swing and seam - so Pakistan, with Wasim Akram in harness with Younis, could be even more formidable to the home side.

In the circumstances, England look likely to drop all-rounder Mark Ealham and enter the Test with six specialist batsmen - the sixth spot being a toss up being Lancashire's John Crawley, Surrey's Mark Butcher and, of course, Nasser Hussain.

Hussain, who sat out the Lord's encounter with an injury, could well find himself in the side in any event, replacing the palpably out of form Graeme Hick, while Chris Lewis could also shrug off a recent thigh injury to make his comeback to the top of the bowling lineup.

Other names being bandied about, as England selectors cast about for options, are those of Yorkshire fast bowler Darren Gough, for whom Headingley is home turf, and Andrew Caddick who has had a terrific season with Somerset.

Pakistan, for its part, is in the happy position of having all its frontline players in full form and fitness. If at all the selectors are looking at a change, it could be in the bowling department where the young and brilliant Saqlain Mushtaq could be included to partner the devastating Mushtaq Ahmed, whose five wicket haul in the Eng- land second innings at Lord's was primarily responsible for England's de- feat.