Cottam has only had only had one session with Tudor, in conjunction with his county team-mates the Hollioake brothers, but he came away hugely impressed with the 6ft 5ins west Londoner. That was in late July, the day before Tudor broke down with a stress fracture of the foot that has put him out for the rest of the season.

``What I saw was a mouth-watering prospect,'' said Cottam yesterday. ``The minute we get to Australia, we're all working and you can't say that Alex doesn't have any chance of selection for the Test side. He's got bounce and genuine pace and seems very receptive.''

Apart from being prone to injury, Tudor, who turns 21 the day England touch down in Australia on Oct 23, has had a problem with frequently being no-balled. Cottam recalls that Tudor's method of measuring his run-up was a shambles, but after he asked Tudor whether he wanted to start again with it from scratch, Cottam got an enthusiastic yes.

``I was amazed when Alex began by measuring short steps back from the popping-crease; then long steps, and then normal steps,'' said Cottam.

``It was as if buried treasure was at the end. I suggested a tape measure instead, and after that had worked in the nets, he bowled in the middle to a 'keeper. He didn't even look like bowling no balls.''

Tudor, who has what Cottam describes as a lovely action, swings the ball naturally away. ``I showed him the inswinger and the slower ball, and he picked those two off immediately. In fact, everything I asked of him, he responded to,'' said Cottam.

``We'll find out whether he's got a big heart, but what I will say is that it was a session that both he and the Hollioakes could have done without the day before a big match, but all three worked brilliantly.''

Although Dave Gilbert, Tudor's coach at the Oval until last September, thinks Steve Harmison, with his greater control, would have been the better bet for Australia, Tudor's strike-rate this year is exceptional. His 29 championship wickets from 10 games played have come at a rate of one every 37 balls.