The winter tour parties are announced after the Oval Test and I can't see there being too many surprise selections.

To be honest I've found it hard to think of anyone who hasn't yet been picked who has impressed me this season. The fact that I've been so wrapped up in our own Championship challenge probably has something to do with it.

But one player who has caught the eye is in opposition against us this weekend.

Middlesex's Andy Strauss has made three Championship hundreds and scored consistently throughout the season, a tremendous achievement considering he has the added pressure of captaining the side.

England have two established openers in Marcus Trescothick and Michael Vaughan of course and they always have the option of pushing Mark Butcher up the order.

But if they were looking for cover then Strauss would fit the bill. Bowling-wise I keep hearing good reports about Gareth Batty, the Worcestershire off-spinner, and I think he would be a good bet for Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

There has been speculation about giving Robert Croft another chance, but there's no merit in that as far as I can see.

Hopefully James Kirtley and Matt Prior will fly the flag for Sussex during the winter. I suppose I should be disappointed that our success this season won't get more recognition by the selectors but if James goes away with England and Matt is selected for the Academy then that will be a start.

As for me I won't be holding my breath on Tuesday morning when the squads are announced. I suppose the fact that Martin Bicknell has revived his international career should give hope to the likes of myself, but if I'm honest I haven't made runs consistently enough this season, although I'm immensely proud of the fact I have scored heavily in pressure situations over the last few weeks. I know I'm good enough to perform at the highest level, but it's no longer a problem if I don't get picked.

We're saying goodbye to Bas Zuiderent at the end of the season. Telling players they have no future at the club is one of the hardest parts of the captain's job, especially so in Bas's case because he is a talented cricketer who hasn't been able to force his way into the side this season because our Championship batters have performed so consistently well. I'm sure he would have been playing regularly elsewhere.

He's too good a player to keep frustrating by not playing him and I sincerely hope he gets fixed up. I was delighted to see Paul Havell, a player we released last season, take his chance for Derbyshire against the South Africans last weekend with four top order wickets.

Paul has genuine talent which he failed to fulfill at Hove but a move away can often re-ignite a career and I hope that proves to be the case both for him and Bas.

I'm the receipient of not one but three player of the month awards for August. Perhaps I shouldn't mention in this column that one of them comes from the Evening Standard but the most prestigious is from the new magazine The Wisden Cricketer. I have also been recognised by the players' union, the PCA after scoring three hundreds during the month including two in that memorable win over Lancashire.

Awards like that not only reflect personal achievement but that of the team. We're on the last lap now of what has been a very exciting race and we go into the run-in refreshed after a few days off to re-charge the batteries.

I get the impression the players can't wait for the Championship to start again and that they are looking forward to the challenges of the next three weeks rather than worrying about them, which is an encouraging sign.

Saturday September 6