Mark Richardson: England have to attack

From the time the England players walked from the field after an embarrassing and nervous loss in the first Ashes test match at Lord's, it has been absorbing to see them grow in confidence and belief.

Unfortunately, being a fatalist in nature and someone who is looking forward to the Ashes finally removed from the dominating grip of Australia, I fear a regression in English positivity in the last test and a two-all result.

If England play for a draw in the final test at The Oval, it will be odds on that they lose. Australia's style of play that has served them so well over the last decade has been to dominate opposition bowling and restrict fast run-scoring by opposition batsmen. Since the second test, England has not offered either of these luxuries to Australia and they have taken an aggressive approach with both bat and ball.

The English batsmen have scored quickly and taken the game to Australia and then bowled with a wicket-taking mentality. In fact, it has been their ability to remove established Australian batsmen from the crease that has restricted Australia's ability to pressure the English attack.

While it would be tempting to think conservatively - knowing a draw is enough to return the Ashes to England - that kind of thinking could prove fatal. Five days is a long time in the modern game, especially at the pace these two teams play. For my money, playing for a draw would be a major shift in the English psyche back towards that of the first test match at Lord's.

Our opening clue to the mental wellbeing of England will come from selection. If Simon Jones fails to overcome his leg injury, the conservative approach calls for Paul Collingwood. Collingwood is a middle-order batsman in top form for Durham and a slow-medium bowler. He has been trying to smash down the doors to this English test team and there would be a solid rationale for batting him at 6 or 7, lengthening the batting and then using his medium pacers in a defensive fashion to allow a breather for the three quicks.

This would be a change in the current structure and approach of playing four quicks and attacking Australia's batting. It indicates a backing off in intent and, while it makes a deal of sense, a mental shift could kill this buoyant English side. This is why I am resisting my own conservative inclination and hoping, if required, England play current twelfth man, Chris Tremlett, continuing the policy of four fast bowlers, the top five batsmen and Flintoff, and attacking.