Preview of 1st Test Against Sri Lanka

A team needs to take 20 wickets to have any chance of winning a Test match and with Harmison, Hoggard, Jones, Flintoff and Giles, England were always likely to straddle this first hurdle. It was then up to the batsmen to clear the final fence to ensure victory.

Harmison is injured for this match, but should return later in the series. However, if the injury prone Giles and Jones were race horses they surely would have been shot by now. Anderson's chance of cementing his place in the team at the expense of the other two seamers have been ended by a back injury.

This extensive injury list means that the uncapped Mahmood and Lewis have been included in the 13 man squad, along with the inexperienced Liam Plunkett. Panesar has also been selected, but is unlikely to be chosen, as Lords in early May is not a place for a spinner who can't bat.

Lords has a habit of inspiring the opposition more than the hosts and there is a real danger that England's young bucks will fall at the first hurdle, making a draw the best the team can hope for.