PETER MARTIN returns to The Oval, scene of his stunning England debut, tomorrow admitting: "It's going to be tough."

Not that it was easy when he was given a shock call-up for the second Texaco Trophy game against the West Indies this time last year and told to bowl at Brian Lara.

It's just that this year's limited overs internationals will be played under World Cup rules - described by Martin as "an opening bowler's nightmare."

"With only two fielders allowed on the boundary for the first 15 overs and a rock hard new ball, it's almost out of your control," said the 27-year-old paceman, the only Lancashire player to join captain Mike Atherton and coach David Lloyd in the England squad.

"Anything can happen and it's hard to combat the batsman if the pitch is in their favour.

"The best way is to get people out. A couple of wickets in the first few overs and you might have them 68 for three after 15, which is as good a result as you can hope for."

Martin will be hoping for a repeat of his performance against the West Indies when after England's five wicket defeat in the first game at Trent Bridge he was called up to replace Angus Fraser for The Oval. He dismissed Sherwin Campbell with his fifth ball, clean bowled Lara and fellow left-hander Jimmy Adams with big in-swingers, and ended with four for 44 from his 10 overs to win the Man of the Match award.

Another solid performance in the third game at Lord's as Atherton's brilliant century helped England clinch the series, and Martin retained his place for the first three Tests before an ankle injury ended his international summer.

But after being left out of England's original squad to tour South Africa in the winter an injury to Richard Johnson gave him a second chance and he capitalised to force his way into the Test team and the World Cup party.

That gave him his first taste of pinch-hitting - and it wasn't a happy experience. New Zealand duo Nathan Astle and Craig Spearman savaged his opening spell at Ahmedabad, although it could have been so different if Graham Thorpe had taken a simple slip catch offered by Spearman in his first over - proving Martin's point about early wickets being crucial.

But again Martin bounced back and he was England's most consistent bowler in the rest of the tournament.

After a month's well-earned rest while the rest of the Lancashire squad headed for pre-season tour of Jamaica, "Digger" picked up a couple of injuries in April and struggled to find his rhythm.

But everything changed on Monday at Trent Bridge when he blasted out the last six Notts wickets for 26 to earn career best figures of seven for 50 - the ideal confidence boost before taking on Tendulkar and Co at The Oval.

"It crossed my mind that I might not make the Texaco squad because I had not been showing much consistency which was disappointing after having such a good winter," he added.

"So it was a relief to be picked on Sunday and great to go out on Monday and run through them. I haven't taken many five-fors in my career" (only three before Monday) "and taking seven felt brilliant.

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