Pace Blow As Anderson is Ruled Out of First Test

While a monsoon raged at the Premadasa Stadium, scene of today's second one-day international, England were coming to terms yesterday with the news that James Anderson's ankle injury will keep him out of the first Test in Galle in 11 days' time.

Anderson, who turned his ankle playing squash when an outdoor practice was washed out on Wednesday, joins Steve Harmison on the sidelines. And this is a Test series that England have suggested they can win with seam. It would be quite a turn-up now if they did.

Dean Conway, England's one-day physio, said: "James has had scans and x-rays which have revealed some ligament trauma. We need a couple more days to assess it, but I'm quite optimistic that he will be back from 10 days to three weeks.

"Ten days would take us within 48 hours of the first Test in Galle, so realistically the second Test in Kandy is his likeliest deadline."

Yorkshire's Matthew Hoggard, who joins the rest of the Test squad tonight, will provide fast-bowling cover for James Kirtley and Richard Johnson in Sunday's third ODI, also in Colombo.

Kirtley, Anderson's squash opponent when he sustained the injury, is now likely to stay on for the Test series.