Harmison, Broad overlooked

Steve Harmison and Stuart Broad have been overlooked by England for the third Test against South Africa at Edgebaston.

But Ryan Sidebottom and Paul Collingwood were included in the starting line-up for the crunch match which starts in Birmingham on Wednesday.

England need to win the match to keep their series hopes alive. They are 1-0 down with two games to play following last week's 10-wicket defeat at Headingley.

Paceman Harmison had been recalled to the squad and was hoping to earn his first cap since being axed seven Tests ago in New Zealand.

But concerns over the lack of bounce in the Edgbaston pitch led to his exclusion from the side.

Sidebottom missed the last Test with a back problem and his return will add some much-needed control and firepower to an attack, which has twice struggled to bowl out the Proteas during the current series.

The Nottinghamshire bowler should also find conditions favourable to swing bowling in Birmingham.

Collingwood was obviously upset when left out of the starting XI at Headingley and his recall will have to give a better balance to the side.

The Durham all-rounder will bat at number six with Andrew Flintoff at seven and Tim Ambrose at eight - two places lower than in the second Test.

Broad has shown great potential with the bat and scored an unbeaten half century in the second innings of the second Test.

But his seven-Test run, which began when he replaced Harmison in New Zealand, has been brought to an end because of his lack of success with the ball.