ADELAIDE – England selectors have rushed an uncapped batsman fromMelbourne grade cricket into their Ashes squad as they try to avoidanother drubbing by Australia in this week’s third Test in Perth.

Michael Crutcher25-Nov-2002ADELAIDE – England selectors have rushed an uncapped batsman fromMelbourne grade cricket into their Ashes squad as they try to avoidanother drubbing by Australia in this week’s third Test in Perth.Paul Collingwood – a 26-year-old middle-order batsman – is the latestplayer through England’s revolving tour door to cover for injuryconcerns about Michael Vaughan (knee and shoulder) and John Crawley(hip).Collingwood has played 25 one-day internationals, including two againstAustralia, and has played grade cricket in Melbourne to stay in shapefor the World Cup in Africa in February and March.Paceman Andrew Caddick also remains in some doubt for the third Testwith a back problem after taking combined figures of 6-298 in theopening matches but selectors have sufficient back-up in Alex Tudor andChris Silverwood.Young spinner Gareth Batty is also on standby but he has yet to prove hecan play after a reaction from a shoulder injection.Can it get any worse?England coach Duncan Fletcher hopes not and insists the tourists arecapable of beating Australia despite losing the opening Tests by 384runs and an innings and 51 runs.”Everyone is mentally down when you lose a Test match, I don’t thinkanyone is mentally up when you lose a game,” Fletcher said today.”There are guys here who really believe they can and they want to beatAustralia.”England’s mood wasn’t helped by rain in Adelaide today which may havehelped the tourists save the Test had they managed to survive until thefifth day.But Fletcher dismissed the weather as an issue along with speculationthat his captain Nasser Hussain was beginning to feel the strain of thedesperate opening to the Australian tour.”That’s not the Nasser Hussain that I know,” Fletcher said.”I saw him this morning and he was still very enthusiastic and you cantell he is still up for it. There is no doubt about that.”The squad will arrive in Perth tomorrow without all-rounder AndrewFlintoff, who will remain in Adelaide for treatment to his troublesomegroin.