Expect plenty of lock-related puns in tomorrow's newspapers after the England selectors called up the uncapped Kent batsman Robert Key for the second npower Test against India, which starts at Trent Bridge on Thursday (August 8). England won the first Test, at Lord's, but injuries have forced two changes for this second match. Key, 23, has leapt ahead of Ian Bell in the Test reckoning after an impressively consistent season. So far Key has 980 runs in first-class cricket at the healthy average of 44.54, while Bell has only 403 runs at 25.18. The long-term injury to Marcus Trescothick, followed by Graham Thorpe's withdrawal, opened up a place. Key will go in first at Trent Bridge, allowing Mark Butcher to slide down to his preferred position at No. 3. That happens to be Nasser Hussain's preferred position too – but he will drop down a place to No. 4.

David Graveney, the chairman of selectors, said: "We also considered Ian Bell and David Fulton as replacements for Graham Thorpe. But Robert Key has been in outstanding form for Kent and his career has really kicked on this season after he attended the National Academy in Australia last winter."

There is another enforced change, with Simon Jones dropping out and being replaced by Durham tearaway Steve Harmison. Jones worried onlookers by clutching his side during his otherwise encouraging Test debut at Lord's, and has predictably been forced to drop out to rest a side strain. With Alex Tudor's fitness also uncertain, the selectors called up 23-year-old Harmison, who is rated by Mike Atherton as the fastest bowler he faced in his last season of county cricket.

Graveney explained: "Simon Jones was not considered as he has an injury to his left side and will undergo a further scan tomorrow to enable us to assess how long he will be out for. Our resources in the bowling department have been stretched for this match, and we have had to slightly vary our policy with regard to bowlers needing to play in a four-day match before a Test to prove their fitness.

"Alex Tudor did play in a Norwich Union League match last week and we will give him every opportunity to prove he is fully match fit in the run up to the Test. With Simon Jones injured, we view Stephen Harmison as a like-for-like replacement who gives us the option of express pace if required.

Dominic Cork, who missed out on the final XI at Lord's, retains his place in the 13-man squad.

England squad for second Test
Michael Vaughan, Robert Key, Mark Butcher, Nasser Hussain (capt), John Crawley, Alec Stewart (wk), Andrew Flintoff, Craig White, Ashley Giles, Alex Tudor, Dominic Cork, Matthew Hoggard, Stephen Harmison.

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