(COLOMBO) Graham Thorpe's decision to opt out of this winter's fast-approaching Ashes tour has sent England's plans into disarray.

The selectors must find a replacement as soon as possible. Here are some of the most likely candidates.

MARK RAMPRAKASH: Ramprakash is the obvious selection. He fares much better against Australia than any other country and is respected by the opposition. His last tour down under was a personal success, and he came good too at the end of the last Ashes series in England.

Approached his usual outstanding first-class form in his second season with championship winners Surrey and is the front-runner to replace his county team-mate Thorpe.

ROBERT KEY: Probably not in the frame after failing to convince when his Test match opportunity came against India this summer. Put down two slip catches at Headingley and would in any case be an opener coming in for a specialist middle-order batsman.

NICK KNIGHT: Seems to be typecast these days as a one-day batsman in international terms. But he came within an ace of averaging 100 for Warwickshire this season and clearly has something to prove if his chance ever comes again in Tests. An outside bet.

OWAIS SHAH: Probably second in line to replace Thorpe, behind his former Middlesex team-mate Ramprakash. Shah fared creditably after being called into England's ICC Champions Trophy squad and has long been considered the possessor of a special talent. Whether it has matured sufficiently to be plunged into an Ashes series is much in doubt.

IAN WARD: By far Surrey's most consistent batsman in their title-winning season. But Ward was discarded after three Tests against Australia in the 2001 Ashes amid hints that his technique was not up to international examination.

His current form is equally as good as when he was first picked, but the suspicion remains that he has fallen terminally out of the selectors' minds.

24 Sep, 2002