BIRMINGIAM England. Aug 7 : Win or lose, the arguments over England's selection policy look

certain to rumble on after the current fifth Test V Edgbaston la over, reports Reuter

Chairman of selectors Ted Dexter and wlcketkcepr Alec Stewart are both In the firing line, even though England arc still In with a chance of securing their first win of a hapless Ashes summer.

Dexter is the subject of a let ter circulated to all 18 county chairmen by Derbyshire s Chns Middle ton. who believes the former England captain should resign in advance of the Test and County Cricket Board meeting on August 17.

Dexter s position as chairman of the England committee comes up for renewal in March. He cannot be sacked before, then, but may resign tf he feels county chairmen have tost faith tn him.

Stewart, whose father Micky attracted similar public condemnation during his time as England team manager, has

meanwhile reopened the debate over whether he should be wearing the wlcketkeeptng gfove* In Test cricket

A missed stumping by Stewart on Friday, which gave Steve Waugh a reprieve on nought and allowed him to share a stand of 153 with twin Mark, could yet prove the decisive moment In a match where every run to proving vital

By close of play on the second day. the tourists were just 18 runs behind on 258 for five, and current England manager Keith Fletcher found himself protecting Stewart against clai ma that specialist Jack Russell should have been picked instead

hack tn May, before England had picked their first Ashes side, Graham Gooch announced Stewart would be used solely as a batsman.

But the then captain was overruled by his fellow selectors and their policy has remained unchanged throughout the ae-rtea.

Fletcher hinted on Friday that nothing would change for the final Test. ’Don't give me that old rubbish about Alec not

being a good keeper." he said

"Atec knows it was a chance, but everyone misses the odd one. like that now and then. Alee is as good a keeper as Australia • lan Healy, for exam pie and he rrtaaed a similar opportunity during the last Test at Headingley.-

As so often tn the series. the Australians took full advantage of English generosity and Mark Waugh s Innings of 137 swung a tight match In the tourists'

’It was particularly pleasing for me because we were under pressure and the situation was lense.’ said Waugh, who struck 18 boundaries

England. 3-0 down In the series, felt Waugh, like his brother, might have gone for nought when a ball from Peter Such deflected to slip. Neither umpire or batsman agreed

-1 definitely didn't hit It. The ball went off the middle of my pad," said Waugh. The odd word was spoken but It didn't get out of hand. Perhaps I should have told them 1 did hit It... then they'd have been even more upset"