Lightning strikes thrice

England are likely to be missing not one, not two, but three pace bowlers for the first Test against Sri Lanka at Lord’s in 10 days’ time. With Steve Harmison already struggling with a leg injury, Simon Jones and James Anderson have both now picked up knocks.

With Jones having only recently returned to county action following the ankle and knee trouble that kept him out of all of England’s winter action, he then left the field midway through Glamorgan’s game against Ireland today. He was suffering from a twinge in the knee he recently injured in India, and his participation in the first Test appears in serious doubt.

Anderson, however, has picked up an entirely new injury – a stress fracture of the back, which is likely to keep him out for several weeks. With Ashley Giles and Michael Vaughan still missing, England’s side is likely to be a makeshift one similar to that which achieved the ‘Miracle in Mumbai’ in March.

The alternatives should all three pace bowlers fail to make it are none too obvious for the selectors. Assuming England retain a five-bowlers setup, they now not only have to find themselves a spinner, but also two more pace bowlers to supplement Andrew Flintoff and Matthew Hoggard. Liam Plunkett is one option, although he has already been named in the England A squad to face the tourists this week. Chris Tremlett also picked up a knock today and was unable to play for Hampshire against Essex. Others include the in-form Jon Lewis, the raw Sajid Mahmood, and rank outsider Stuart Broad.