By Jonathan Agnew BBC cricket correspondent

Even if the selectors had been feeling in a ruthless mood following England's heavy defeat at Lord's, the all too familiar list of injuries forced their hand.

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The result is that dropping Anthony McGrath will possibly be the only voluntary change to the team that takes the field at Trent Bridge.

There are one or two other options available.

Given that James Kirtley is likely to replace the retired Darren Gough, it is still possible that Glen Chapple could take Steve Harmison's place.

This will be dependent on the atmosphere at Nottingham on Thursday morning - Chapple is a swing bowler - and any lingering worries about England's batting.

Chapple is a quality cricketer who must be considered extremely unlucky not to have been chosen for England before now, indeed, he would have been in my World Cup squad.

A genuine all-rounder with a top score of 132 for Lancashire this season, he bowls at a lively pace and is experienced enough to put the ball in the right place, something England's attack has failed to do in this series to date.

Vaughan, it seems, was not prepared to have Hussain, Thorpe and Stewart occupying numbers four, five and six

Gareth Batty is likely to play only if England believe the pitch will take enough spin to include a second spinner. His inclusion, though, does reveal in which direction the selectors are looking.

However, it is the batting line-up that will have been the main reason for the selectors failing to cobble a team together after their initial four-hour meeting on Thursday.

It appears Nasser Hussain's place might have been in jeopardy, but once Graham Thorpe was ruled out on fitness grounds, the former captain was retained in the interests of experience.

Michael Vaughan, it seems, was not prepared to have Hussain, Thorpe and Alec Stewart occupying numbers four, five and six.

But once it was decided that Andrew Flintoff should remain at seven, rather than move up the order, Stewart's place behind the stumps was guaranteed at least for another game. He will need to keep wicket much more tidily this time.

Profile: Anthony McGrath

Therefore, feeling the need to change at least something, McGrath faced the axe.

He could be considered unlucky having scored half centuries in his first two Test innings against Zimbabwe.

But with England's batting having been so woefully ill-disciplined at Lord's, and Ed Smith rattling up century after century for Kent, something had to give.

The fact remains, though, that England will have to bat, bowl and catch far better than they have done in the first two Tests if they are to compete, and level the series, at Trent Bridge.