England find their Plan B

Lara must now be rueing those words after a 210-run defeat in that Test and another comprehensive beating on Sunday to trail 2-0 in the four-Test series.

The reason for his derisory remarks were well-founded after Harmison took 23 wickets in England's historic 3-0 series win in the Caribbean earlier this year.

Yet so far in this series he has only taken three wickets with much maligned spinner Ashley Giles grabbing 18.

Giles had a torrid time in the West Indies but is profiting on English soil more than ever before. He finished with match figures of nine for 122 as England eased to a 256-run second Test win at Edgbaston.

The slow left armer was criticised in the past for bowling outside leg stump. Now he is bowling in the same area but using his fellow bowlers' footmarks to huge effect.

"Giles is bowling better than ever," captain Michael Vaughan said at Edgbaston. "The team is playing well but it is down to individuals putting in good performances."

EXCITING CRICKETER

All rounder Andrew Flintoff, fast becoming the world's most exciting cricketer, has also contributed with some important wickets and runs --

Matthew Hoggard continues to be a consistent swing bowler and although young pacemen Simon Jones and James Anderson can have off days, they are worth persevering with.

Meanwhile, Harmison could well go on to take the "bagful" of wickets in the remainder of the series that Vaughan predicted.

Lara has said he will not quit as captain before the end of the series despite calls for him to go from former Caribbean greats Viv Richards and Colin Croft.

His young bowlers lack experience and therefore patience and discipline which can only improve with playing matches.

"You have got to be sympathetic," Lara said before the second Test. "At Lord's three of my bowlers were under 22."

The batting department is more promising with Shivnarine Chanderpaul playing superbly in the first Test, scoring an unbeaten century, while Ramnaresh Sarwan, Chris Gayle and Lara himself also look in good nick.

Nevertheless their heads drop too easily either in the field or at the crease and their sloppy fielding would not look out of place on a Caribbean beach.

The third Test starts on August 12 at Old Trafford, Manchester and ultimately it is Lara who needs a Plan B.