MacGill in the frame for The Oval

The legspinner, Stuart MacGill, has emerged as a contender for Australia's make-or-break fifth Test at The Oval next week, as their coach, John Buchanan, sized up the options available to his team. Australia need a victory to secure a 2-2 share of the series and retain the Ashes for the ninth series in a row.

MacGill, 34, has taken 160 wickets in 33 Tests since making his debut in 1998, but the pre-eminence of Shane Warne has restricted him to a walk-on role in the Australian squad. Nevertheless, against England, MacGill has a remarkable tally of 39 wickets in just six Tests, and he could be called upon to replace the ineffectual Michael Kasprowicz, and shore up an attack that has relied too heavily on Shane Warne and Brett Lee.

"The Oval historically provides bounce and it provides turn," Buchanan told AFP. "That aids both pace bowlers who hit the deck and spin bowlers because they actually get bounce with some turn. Therefore, I am sure [chairman of selectors] Trevor Hohns would say, Stuart MacGill is very much in the equation."

Buchanan would not be drawn on any other possible changes, which might include the replacing of Matthew Hayden at the top of the order. Until recently, Hayden was ranked as the No. 1 batsman in the world with an average in excess of 58, but he has failed to pass 70 in his last 30 innings, and has been badly found out by England's pace attack this summer.

Buchanan himself is under some pressure as well. His contract as national coach comes up for renewal in October, and though he wishes to carry on in a role he has held since 1999, the prospect of Ashes defeat will not please his employers, Cricket Australia, who might want to consider a change of direction.

"I'm not even thinking about that, it's not a factor," Buchanan told AFP, as Australia prepared for their two-day warm-up match against Essex, which starts on Saturday. "My consideration is to simply try and make sure we go into this game in the best possible shape and give ourselves the best possible chance to win it."

The match against Essex is Australia's last chance for practice ahead of next week's climatic fifth Test, and Buchanan could not help but acknowledge the possibility of the unthinkable. "If we don't win it well then obviously there are other decisions to be made after that," he conceded. "But that's not an issue for me at the moment. We'll finish this, and then we'll sit down with Cricket Australia (CA) and work through that process."