Former England and Yorkshire spinner Richard Dawson writes exclusively for The Northern Echo throughout the Ashes series.

Why have England left out my Northants teammate Monty Panesar again?

If you look at how part-time bowler Michael Clarke bowled for the Aussies - the ball was turning for him. England might end up regretting that decision.

You need to get 20 wickets to win a Test match. I'm a bowler, that's the way I look at things - and that's the way England need to look at this.

I'm not saying Ashley Giles shouldn't have played but it turns at Adelaide and a lot of us at Northants thought Monty Panesar had a chance here.

I played at Adelaide in the last Ashes tour and it turned a lot - the wicket looked ideal for someone like Monty.

He would have really hoped to play, especially after the last Test, but Duncan Fletcher might have been saying to everyone: this is your chance to redeem yourselves. Only time will tell.

England are in a good position at the moment and the pressure is firmly on the Aussie bowlers, especially with Kevin Pietersen still at the crease.

Australia bowled well in the first session but we got through it and when Ian Bell and Paul Collingwood put on that stand of 113 they helped put us in a great position.

The next hour or so is crucial. We need 400-plus as an absolute minimum and if we can go through the next 15 overs or so without losing a wicket, we can really start ramming home the advantage.

Colly is the sort of guy you want on your side - he plays better when he has his back against the wall. We are all hoping he gets his hundred now.

He might not have had his chance to shine but for injuries and illness to the likes of Marcus Trescothick and Michael Vaughan, but hasn't he taken it well.

Talk this week of Vaughan returning has done nothing to Collingwood's confidence and what a way to lay down a marker for the rest of the series.

On the topic of Vaughan, I think first and foremost England have got to look after him, rather than push him and risk his long-term future.

If treating him right now means he will be right next summer and right in the long run, then that's the key. All this talk about him coming back for the Boxing Day Test match could be pie in the sky.

But that doesn't mean he won't be a real positive influence on this tour. He is a great guy to have around the dressing room. He is such a positive person and has such a great cricketing brain. He has the experience and know-how and he is only on the end of a phone so he will be an important figure in this series whether he plays or not.