Ashes 2013: James Taylor To Face Australia as Kevin Pietersen Fitness Concerns Grow

James Taylor will face an Ashes dress rehearsal against Australia after being given permission by Nottinghamshire to play for Sussex in the tour match at Hove starting on Friday as fears over Kevin Pietersen's calf injury grow.

Pietersen missed the fourth day of the second Test at Lord's with a muscle strain and batting coach Graham Gooch hinted that Taylor's Notts form, for whom he has averaged 53.56 in the County Championship in 2013, would see him considered as a possible replacement.

And England's faith in Taylor has extended to earning permission for the 23 year old to play for Sussex in the tour match later this week against Australia with questions remaining over Pietersen's fitness.

Coach Andy Flower said: "We would like to thank Nottinghamshire CCC and Sussex CCC for their support and understanding in allowing Nottinghamshire batsman James Taylor to play for Sussex against Australia in the three-day tour match beginning on Friday.

"This will provide James with a valuable opportunity to play in a longer format of the game while we consider our options ahead of the third Investec Ashes Test next week.

"Kevin Pietersen is continuing his recovery from a calf strain and a decision about his availability for the Test will made nearer the time."

Taylor scored 48 runs in three innings across two Tests against South Africa last summer but has made a marked technical improvement during the 2013 season, leapfrogging Eoin Morgan in the pecking order while Ravi Bopara is out injured with a side strain.

"We want to provide James the best possible opportunity to be prepared to play in the third Test should he be required," said Nottinghamshire's Director of Cricket Mick Newell.

"Whilst clearly he is an important player for us and will be missed in our Friends Life t20 matches on Friday and Sunday we have a proud record of producing players for England.

"We remain in close contact with James and the ECB regarding the situation and hope that he can make a contribution and be selected."

Meanwhile, Australia have announced their team to face Sussex in the three-day tour match, with Shane Watson, Chris Rodgers, Peter Siddle, Michael Clarke, Brad Haddin, Phil Hughes and Ryan Harris all rested after the second Test.

With James Pattinson out of the rest of the series with a stress fracture to his back, James Faulkner, Mitchell Starc and Jackson Bird will compete to lead the Australia attack in the third Test at Old Trafford.

Ashton Agar and Nathan Lyon will go head-to-head for the spinner birth while Ed Cowan, dropped after the first Test at Trent Bridge, will skipper the side.

Ashton Turner, like Agar one of six Australian scholars to be awarded summer placements in England, has also been called up after an encouraging season in the Sussex Premier League with Chichester Priory Park.

Elsewhere, David Warner, who was sent to gain match practise with Australia A after missing both of his countries warm-up matches prior to the series, scored 193 against South Africa A in Pretoria to put him on the brink of a recall for the third Test.