Gary Ballance can get stuck in and score a gritty half-century but seamer Ben Stokes is handy with bat and ball.
So which man will be handed his Test debut for England in Adelaide on Thursday?
England’s star batsman Ian Bell says both have strong claims on a middle-order spot.
The stress-related withdrawal of No.3 Jonathan Trott following England’s defeat in the first Test in Brisbane has left No.5 Bell and No.6 Joe Root in contention for promotion to first drop.
That would leave a hole in the middle order which was, in one sense, up for grabs in the two-day match against a Chairman’s XI which ended in a draw on Saturday in Alice Springs.
Zimbabwe-born Ballance, 24, hit a first-innings 55 to outshine Stokes (28 and 0-37).
Ballance boasts a first-class average of 53.33 with 18 centuries.
However Kiwi-born Stokes, 22, has the versatility that could allow England to drop seamer Chris Tremlett and play Stokes as an allrounder at No.6 and recall spinner Mony Panesar to partner offspinner Graeme Swann.
Swann and Panesar claimed seven wickets on Saturday as the Chairman’s XI made 8-254 in reply to England’s first innings of 7-212. The tourists ended on 1-47 in their second dig.
“Gary Ballance has done really well here,” Bell said.
“To go out there and bat a long period of time (192 minutes), on a wicket that wasn’t the easiest to score runs fluently … he did well.
“That’s what we want, guys who are going to bat long periods of time in this series — so he showed some character.”
Bell said Stokes played with positive intent.
“Ben Stokes bowled well with the reverse-swinging ball. So we’ve got some nice options.”
His face glowing from sunburn in his post-match new conference, Bell said his men had regrouped in the extreme heat of the Red Centre.
“Adelaide is not going to be cold, is it?,” he asked.
“So this extreme heat for us, you go to Adelaide it should be a lot easier than what we’ve dealt with here.”
Bell said he was saddened by Trott’s departure.
“You could sense certain things,” Bell said.
“He was a little bit more quiet … but as a friend, it was sad to see him go, and I wish him a speedy recovery.”
