London, July 31: For years there have been complaints that England's cricket philosophy is all wrong, the domestic doom-mongers pointing to the Australia approach as the way forward.

Now it turns out that the intellectual underpinning for the world champions' recent victories comes not from native wisdom but ancient Chinese philosopher Sun Tzu. More 'Art of War,' Sun Tzu's most famous work, than Steve Waugh.

Ahead of their third Ashes Test against England at Trent Bridge on Thursday, and with Australia 2-0 up, a team memo written by Australia coach John Buchanan has come to light urging the players to study various aspects of Sun Tzu's work.

Among these are writings on "contentious ground", "dispersive ground" and the "ground of intersecting highways."

Why Australia need Sun Tzu when they have the better batsmen, bowlers and fielders is a question yet to be satisfactorily answered.

They would doubtless argue for the importance of 'mens sana in corpore sano' - that's Latin for a 'healthy mind in a healthy body' as any Australian could tell you.

Buchanan's notes have also come to light. Something similar happened in New Zealand last year which casts doubt on just how accidental their public revelation this time around really was.

Whatever the truth of that, you do not have to be Confucius to reach the coach's conclusions.

These state that England have "joined hands with public, sponsors and media about the way the English team plays its cricket and thus its ability to play Australia."

They also say: "Overall this English team are hanging on to excuses (eg injuries, toss, bad luck, dropped catches). By gradually taking each of these away ultimately there is no place to hide."

Too true. But England were given a small psychological boost of their own thanks to Hampshire's surprise two wicket victory over Australia on Monday, albeit against a team containing only five players likely to feature at Trent Bridge.

It may indeed mean nothing come the Test but at least it showed that if you regard Australia as human beings, rather than superheroes, they can be beaten.

Hampshire bowled out Australia for 97 in the first innings. But the man who inspired that collapse with five for 18, Aussie educated left-arm quick Alan Mullally, has not been recalled to the Test team.

Instead England have sent for another pace bowler Alex Tudor. The Surrey speedster is also a more than useful batsman - he made 99 not out in his last Test against New Zealand at Edgbaston two years ago - but a combination of injuries and selectorial oversight have seen the 23-year-old Tudor left out in the cold.

Described by Steve Waugh as "seriously quick" after taking four for 89 against Australia at Perth on his Test debut in 1998-99, Tudor was chosen for this Test ahead of dropped all-rounder Dominic Cork.

The Derbyshire captain is a medium pacer and, more importantly, has not swung the ball much in Tests this summer, making him easy prey for class batsmen.

In Darren Gough, Andrew Caddick, Craig White and Tudor, England will hope to have a pace quartet that can at least compete with, if not equal, the Australia trio of Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie and Brett Lee.

England have also sent for Glamorgan off-spinner Robert Croft, ignoring media pressure for Phil Tufnell to take the place of fellow left-arm slow bowler Ashley Giles, out with an Achilles tendon injury.

Tufnell is the leading English spinner in the first-class averages but has gained a reputation for being 'difficult' during his 41 Tests to date.

In Croft's defence, although unlikely to spin the ball as much as Tufnell, he is a better batsman and that too may have played in his favour.

Certainly England, still without injured captain Nasser Hussain (finger) and key middle order batsman Graham Thorpe (hand), will have to show greater resistance than they have managed so far and better catching too after their eight wicket reverse at Lord's.

Australia, set to be unchanged for a third straight Test, need just a draw for a record breaking seventh consecutive Ashes series victory.

But draws have never been part of Waugh's philosophy and therein lies an opportunity for England if they have the nerve to seize it.

Australia (probable): Matthew Hayden, Michael Slater, Ricky Ponting, Mark Waugh, Steve Waugh (capt), Damien Martyn, Adam Gilchrist (wkt), Shane Warne, Brett Lee, Jason Gillespie, Glenn McGrath

England (from): Michael Atherton (capt), Marcus Trescothick, Mark Butcher, Mark Ramprakash, Alec Stewart (wkt), Usman Afzaal, Craig White, Alex Tudor, Robert Croft, Andrew Caddick, Darren Gough, Chris Silverwood, Ian Ward