The news that England's first-choice spinner, Ashley Giles of Warwickshire, will be fit to play if required in the First Test, which starts tomorrow at Edgbaston, will hearten an England team buffeted by injuries, illnesses and lack of fitness.

Michael Vaughan and Graham Thorpe are definitely out, almost certainly for the first two Tests. Nasser Hussain has played little first-class cricket since breaking a thumb, Craig White has been recovering from a back injury, and Andy Caddick will wear a protective pad on his left hand after breaking a finger.

With Robert Croft and Matthew Hoggard both sent home today, it appears that the selectors are close to their final team, with the only remaining option being between fit-again Giles and a fourth seamer, Dominic Cork.

The biggest blow to the home side has been the loss of Graham Thorpe with a calf problem. Steve Waugh, the Australian captain, has said that "if Thorpe was playing he would have been the key batsman".

The absence of Michael Vaughan, who is undergoing keyhole surgery on his knee tomorrow, and who will be unavailable at least until the Third Test at Trent Bridge, leaves England with an inexperienced batting line-up. Yet Waugh has pointed out that the younger players are "ones we don't know and are unpredictable".

Australia, on the other hand, have a settled line-up with no injury worries but Waugh will not be taking England's challenge lightly. "They've got some good players in the side and we are going to respect all of them. They've had two wins on the subcontinent which is very hard to do. They must be doing something right."

A few weeks ago, a victory at Edgbaston in the First Test was England's aim, whereas now many would settle for avoiding defeat. But Hussain insists: "We've picked a side which I'm fully behind and one which can do well. Because of the injuries and preparation we may be more underdogs than before but we know how much the Brits love the underdog".

Hussain is fully prepared for the sledging that is bound to come England's way. "They give you a bit of stick and they say words to you," he says, and so it is imperative that England "show them we've got the character we have worked on for 18 months - then we can beat them".

"I would love the crowd to get behind us because it's very important to our side", continues Hussain, describing the atmosphere in 1997 as "unbelievable". On that occasion, the home side won by nine wickets before the Australian machine kicked into gear to win the series 3-2, and tomorrow's play will, both captains agree, be the most important of the summer.

Waugh points out that "whenever you lose a Test, it's because you have one really bad session. Generally if you win the first session, you win the first day, and if you win the First Test you normally win the series. It really is crucial, the first morning session of the First Test".

England (from): N Hussain (Essex, capt), MA Atherton (Lancashire), ME Trescothick (Somerset), MA Butcher (Surrey), IJ Ward (Surrey), AJ Stewart (Surrey, wkt), U Afzaal (Nottinghamshire), C White (Yorkshire), DG Cork (Derbyshire), D Gough (Yorkshire), AR Caddick (Somerset), AF Giles (Warwickshire).

Australia: SR Waugh (capt), ML Hayden, MJ Slater, RT Ponting, ME Waugh, DR Martyn, AC Gilchrist (wkt), SK Warne, B Lee, JN Gillespie, GD McGrath.

Umpires: SA Bucknor (WI) & G Sharp.

© CricInfo