Suddenly cricket in England is sexy again. One blockbuster of an innings - that was all it took. And Mark Butcher's heroics mean that, when the fifth Test starts at The Oval tomorrow, England have the chance of back-to-back Ashes wins for the first time since 1985, when Tim Robinson and Richard Ellison were, briefly, international forces to be reckoned with. A 3-2 scoreline would flatter England - as it did in 1997 - but recent history is in their favour: they have won their last two Ashes Tests at The Oval. The difference is that this time they have some momentum on their side. England can almost claim to have the more settled team as well, which is something they haven't been able to say all series. For once, the interesting selectorial questions lie with the Aussies.

The most sensational development concerns Michael Slater, who began the series as a whirlwind, but has become more of a faint breeze by the innings: after that scruff-of-the-neck 77 at Edgbaston, he has scratched around for just 93 runs in six knocks. Slater today took the possibly unprecedented step of announcing his own dropping on a Sydney radio station, a pre-emptive strike that could get him into trouble.

His replacement at the top of the order appears to be Justin Langer, who has been even more out of touch than Slater this summer, and who is less likely to destroy England's opening bowlers. Australia should have stuck with the batting line-up that rattled up 623 for 14 at Headingley. If they feel like changing a losing team, they should bring in Damien Fleming for Brett Lee, who has been more hostile than incisive (8 for 423) and may be weary after his long spell on Monday afternoon. Martin Bicknell has shown that The Oval helps the swing bowler as well as the express quicks.

Steve Waugh is making bullish noises about having a 50:50 chance of resuming his place, but this would be madness: an injury that was bad enough for him to be stretchered off at Trent Bridge 17 days ago must need more time to heal, especially when it belongs to a 36-year-old of gently increasing girth. It would be better for Australia if Adam Gilchrist was given another crack at the captaincy - he needs the experience.

England have lost Alex Tudor to a hip injury, which means they must either play two spinners (unlikely, according to David Graveney on Monday) or give a debut to one of the two reserve quicks, James Ormond or Richard Johnson. Johnson should take precedence as he bats better and arrived in the squad first. The spinner's place will surely go to Phil Tufnell, who took 11 for 93 here in his last Test against the Aussies in 1997, when, according to Mike Atherton, he bowled just one bad ball.

Whatever happens, England will be fielding their seventh different set of change bowlers in seven Tests this summer - a small prize to the first reader who e-mails us with the full list so far, to quiz@wisden.com (frontline bowlers only; editor's decision is final; usual rules apply). The prize is an official Wisden.com baseball cap: your chance to be a one-cap wonder.

As Tufnell re-enters, Atherton, probably, exits. His comments in a Sunday paper suggested this would be his last Test, and England need him to go out with a bang. On Monday Butcher showed that it is possible to attack Glenn McGrath, and this could be Atherton's surest way of avoiding an unwanted milestone. If McGrath nabs him once more, it will be for a world-record 19th time in Tests, beating Alec Bedser's mastery over Arthur Morris. It would be a harsh way to remember a man who has repulsed the world's best attacks for over a decade. If England could just win this one, he might even be persuaded to make the trips to India and New Zealand this winter.

But if England lose, Australia will have won four Tests in an Ashes series for the first time since 1993. The series may be dead, but there really is plenty to play for.

England (probable) 1 Mike Atherton, 2 Marcus Trescothick, 3 Mark Butcher, 4 Nasser Hussain (capt), 5 Mark Ramprakash, 6 Usman Afzaal, 7 Alec Stewart (wkt), 8 Andy Caddick, 9 Richard Johnson, 10 Darren Gough, 11 Phil Tufnell.

Australia (probable) 1 Matthew Hayden, 2 Justin Langer, 3 Ricky Ponting, 4 Mark Waugh, 5 Damien Martyn, 6 Simon Katich, 7 Adam Gilchrist (capt, wkt), 8 Shane Warne, 9 Brett Lee, 10 Jason Gillespie, 11 Glenn McGrath.

Lawrence Booth is assistant editor of Wisden.com. Look out for his Wisden Bulletins throughout tomorrow's play.

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