Brad Hodge is one of many Australians who serve to illustrate the gulf in squad depth between England and Australia.

He has plundered county cricket with great skill and apparent ease with both Durham and Leicestershire without winning a single international cap.

Now over 30 years of age, Hodge would have been established in the England middle order some time ago after following in the footsteps of the likes of Stuart Law and Mike Hussey in getting over international disappointment by destroying county attacks.

A successful if unspectacular right-handed number four for Victoria, he has recently turned down overtures from New South Wales to remain with his home state.

Only centrally contracted since last year, Hodge toured India in 2003 in the absence of Ricky Ponting but has since been overlooked for Michael Clarke.

He began this summer alongside Law with Lancashire until the start of the Australian tour, but the feeling is he still needs luck to break into the international set-up.

A stylish and correct batsman, it is inconceivable that a man of Hodge's talents - he made an unbeaten 302 while at Grace Road - would have remained uncapped anywhere else in the world.