England settled on Ashes squad
England's selectors will today almost certainly announce a predictable squad for the first Investec Test against Australia.
The most notable, but hardly surprise, exclusion will be Nick Compton - whose absence was telegraphed 12 days ago when he was dropped for the warm-up match against Essex and England promoted Joe Root to open alongside captain Alastair Cook.
Nothing that happened in Chelmsford, or Worcester where Compton was manfully trying to restate his case, has caused a rethink - a fact ruthlessly underlined by coach Andy Flower after England's 228-run win on Wednesday.
Flower was talking about his bowling attack when he said: "We were pretty clear before this game our team for Trent Bridge. We're clear what our squad will be and what our XI will be."
Compton was already painfully aware, it transpired later that same night as he reflected on more runs against Australia, that he was surplus to requirements after his untimely loss of form in the second Test against New Zealand at Headingley in May.
As requested, he went back and made runs for Somerset and - most recently, at England's behest - as a guest for Worcestershire, taking his tally in four innings against Australia to 218 runs. Yet it seems after nine Tests, and approaching 500 runs in the low 30s, at the age of 30 Compton may do well to play for England again.
The opening position aside, Root's move up the order - and the return of a fit-again Kevin Pietersen - leaves another young Yorkshireman in possession of the number six spot, for the first Test in Nottingham at least.
Jonny Bairstow has had precious little opportunity to bat anywhere in any format since impressing alongside Root in their home Test in Leeds.
He spent England's Champions Trophy campaign ferrying drinks, made 12 in a Twenty20 for Yorkshire against Derbyshire and then twice got into the 20s against Essex before - worryingly - being bowled both times.
Plan A still pertains, however - as it surely does with England's bowling options too, despite a couple of bumps along the road for them in Chelmsford.
