Perth: England's shell-shocked batsmen face their toughest ordeal of the tour so far in the three-day match against Western Australia starting at the WACA Ground on Monday.

A line-up, which has failed against second-string attacks in the tourists' opening two games will need to display much more steel to succeed against the state side's fiery pace trio of Brad Williams, Matt Nicholson and Jo Angel.

Williams and Nicholson are both contenders for Test honours, while the towering Angel - who has appeared in four Tests - has always revelled in the bouncy Perth conditions.

"We'll give them the biggest test we can," state captain Justin Langer said Sunday. Langer, an Australian Test opening batsman, is keen to keep the pressure on the Englishmen as they prepare for the opening Test of the Ashes campaign, starting in Brisbane, Queensland, next Thursday.

England is aiming to end a sequence of seven Ashes series defeats, but has begun its tour woefully, with a One-day loss to an Australian Cricket Board (ACB) Chairman's X1 and a morale-sapping draw against Western Australia.

"Williams is a very exciting player," Langer said. "He was easily the pick of the Australian 'A' players in South Africa recently and then was called up for the Australian squad for the Tests against Pakistan, though he did not play."

"I am also a huge fan of Nicholson. I believe he could be an outstanding all- rounder. And Angel just keeps coming. His record is second to nothing at the WACA."

The State's pace attack will be completed by Stuart Karppinen, who snapped up five wickets when the South Africans toured a year ago. It is a measure of the state's bowling strength that there is no room in the side for swing bowler Callum Thorp, the window cleaner from Wanneroo, just north of Perth, who destroyed the England batting three days ago.

His burst of 4-58 included the scalps of Robert Key, Mark Butcher and skipper Nasser Hussain. Test players Adam Gilchrist and Damien Martyn have been rested from the Western Australian side.

Because of its crop of injuries, England has delayed naming its side. The line-up seems almost certain to include all-rounder Craig White, who has joined the squad from Adelaide, South Australia, where he had been playing club cricket.

White was called up after all-rounder Andrew Flintoff flew to Adelaide for intensive treatment aimed at having him fit for the first Test. He is recovering from a hernia operation.

Opening batsman Marcus Trescothick was hopeful of being available for selection, despite being bothered by a right shoulder injury, which especially restricts him in the field.

The Teams (from): England: Nasser Hussain (captain), Marcus Trescothick, Mark Butcher, Robert Key, John Crawley, Alec Stewart, James Foster, Andy Caddick, Matthew Hoggard, Simon Jones, Steve Harmison, Ashley Giles, Richard Dawson and Craig White.

Western Australia: Justin Langer (captain), Michael Hussey, Jo Angel, Ryan Campbell, Murray Goodwin, Brad Hogg, Stuart Karppinen, Scott Meuleman, Matthew Nicholson, Marcus North, Chris Rogers and Brad Williams (12th man to be nominated).

Copyright AFP 2001

Extras:
England should aim for 5-0 Test series win: Langer