Tim Bresnan needs to be cut a bit of slack in an England shirt. And if he is, he could become a “shoo-in” for the Test team.

That is the view of Yorkshire legend Anthony McGrath, a former county colleague of Bresnan’s.

Bresnan’s selection in the second Ashes Test at Lord’s meant that it was the first time England had fielded three Yorkshire players in their side since 2003 when McGrath, Michael Vaughan and Darren Gough played against South Africa at the same venue.

Bresnan’s selection alongside Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow marked his first Test since last December when he played against India at Nagpur.

Surgery on his right elbow forced him out of the side initially but England opted to go with Steven Finn in the two home Tests against New Zealand and last week’s thrilling Ashes opener at Trent Bridge despite Bresnan being fit.

“It’s a funny one with Brez,” said McGrath. “He had that great record at the start of his Test career (when England won the first 13 Tests he played).

“I know he’s been injured but he seems to have been a little bit unfortunate since in that he just gets judged on his wickets because England play a three-man pace attack with six batsmen and Matt Prior at seven.

“To me, he just adds so much more.

“He builds pressure, he reverses it with the old ball, he takes crucial wickets at crucial times and adds a lot with the bat as well. You only need to look at that series in Australia when he got Ponting and Hussey out in quick succession at the MCG.

“Only Jimmy’s (Anderson) bowled with any real consistency in England’s pace attack for a while. But somebody like a Broad gets viewed differently. Brezzy’s been very similar to what Broad has done.”

Before the Lord’s Test, Bresnan had taken 57 wickets in 18 Tests at 32.54, whereas opening bowler Broad had taken 158 at 30.94 from 58 Tests. Bresnan’s batting average of 31.28 is far better than Broad’s at 25.21.

“What didn’t do Brez any favours was his elbow injury, which lost him a yard of pace before he had the surgery,” continued McGrath. “But I’ve seen him for Yorkshire this season and he has definitely got that back.

“What people don’t necessarily see with him is that he does rush batsmen. He bowls that heavy ball that the speed guns don’t really pick up.

“The conditions we’re likely to see at the Test matches this summer are absolutely perfect for him. It’s going to be very dry and he’ll come into his own as the ball gets older and starts to reverse.

“He just needs a run in the side now. If he gets that, I’m sure he will do well and become a shoo-in for the winter.”

McGrath has played alongside all of the White Rose’s England trio but more so with Bresnan, aged 28.

“It’s fantastic that all three lads have been picked to play together, especially in such a big series. The Ashes is obviously the biggest of the lot,” added the former Yorkshire captain.