slaw reminds england of his availability

from today's Australian

"FORMER Australian batsman Stuart Law has declared he is the man to save England's Ashes campaign at The Oval next week.

Confused England is considering picking 39-year-old Mark Ramprakash or failed Test batsman Robert Key to bolster its woeful middle order, but Law insists he is a better option for a blue cap.

Law, who played one Test for Australia in 1995 and appeared in 54 one-day internationals, qualifies to play for England through a residency clause as he has been living in the UK since 2004.

Law may be 40 -- and has wound down his career to the point where he only played one-day games for Derbyshire this county season -- but he claims he would do better than the current batch of Englishmen.

"They are talking about everyone else so I'm putting my hand up as well -- I'm available and ready to play for England next week," Law told The Australian.

"I couldn't do any worse than some of them. I'm not even a year older than Ramprakash so if he is a chance I must be a chance as well. Graham Gooch and Alec Stewart retired when they were in their 40s so that just about puts me in my prime to play for England.

"I know (England chief selector) Geoff Miller pretty well, and he knows I've been qualified to play for England for about two years now. I haven't had the phone call yet but maybe I will this time.

"I'm in awesome touch, I scored a terrific century in a game for Lashings today."

The fact that Law, the former Queensland Bulls captain, has put his hand up to play for England would seem a nonsense.

That is apart from the fact that England is strongly considering Ramprakash for its side for the fifth Test.

Well he needs a duck to score the you beaut average.

I like his sense of humour.

great comedy to start the morning, it was

Ah, Nath with some Yodaspeak.