PAUL Terry reckons England have gone for the "pacier" option in handing Hampshire's Chris Tremlett his Test debut.

Tremlett was a surprise inclusion for the first Test against India at Lord's yesterday following injuries to Steve Harmison and Matthew Hoggard.

Most pundits expected Broad to be handed his first Test appearance, but instead Tremlett became the 636th player to be capped by England in Test cricket.

As a result, he became the third Hampshire player in the last two years to make his Test debut - Kevin Pietersen and Shaun Udal being the others.

Only three Hampshire players had made their debuts in the previous 21 years - Chris Smith (1983), Terry (1984) and Robin Smith (1988).

More notably, Tremlett became the first Southampton-born cricketer to play a Test match since Arthur Hill, the 96th England cap, made his debut way back in 1896!

Hampshire boss Terry said: "Playing Chris wasn't what people expected, but England have gone for the pacier option, they've gone for a bit of variety.

"Chris has definitely come on this year. He's got a shorter run-up and generates more pace as a result.

"He's also become a lot stronger, and that is down to the work he has done with our physio Andrew Nealon and our fitness coach Iain Brunnschweiler.

"This is a great opportunity for Chris to enhance his reputation, against a batting line-up as good as India's.

"He can stay in for the series if he has a good match".

Tremlett, who was 12th man for the first four Ashes Tests in 2005, spent the first day of his debut Test sitting in the pavilion watching his team-mates bat after Michael Vaughan had won the toss.

CHRIS TREMLETT FACTFILE.

1981: Born September 2, Southampton.

2000: Took a wicket with his first ball in first-class cricket against New Zealand A and finishes with figures of four for 16.

Won the NBC Denis Compton Award, an annual accolade given to the most promising young player at each of the 18 English first-class counties.

Made the England Under-19 tour of India.

2001: Won the Compton Award for the second time.

Progressed to the ECB Academy under the direction of Rod Marsh after impressing for England Under 19s.

2004: Named in the 30-man squad ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy, but misses out on final selection.

2005: May - Named in England's 25-man development squad ahead of the Ashes.

June - Made his England debut in a ODI against Bangladesh at Trent Bridge, taking four for 32, the second best for an England player on ODI debut after Adam Hollioake.

During the same match he missed out on a hat-trick only by a freak occurrence, when the third ball fell on to the top of Mohammad Ashraful's stumps but did not dislodge a bail.

Regularly selected in England's 12 for the Ashes Tests but due to the success of the first-choice bowlers he did not make his debut.

2006: Selected for the tour to Pakistan, but had to withdraw because of injury.

Ended Hampshire's season with 30 wickets at an average of 21.70, the lowest at the club.

2007: Took five wickets in this year's Twenty20 Cup including three for 12 in the defeat to Middlesex.

July - Added to England's squad for the first Test against India at Lord's.

July 19 - Becomes the first homegrown Hampshire player in history to play a Test match in England.