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SLCB President's XI v England XI, Colombo, 2nd day

Anderson 'rested as a precaution'

Andrew Miller in Colombo

November 26, 2007

In the wars: Anderson's only contribution on the second day was a brief and runless innings © Getty Images

However, David Graveney, England's chairman of selectors, said that Anderson had merely been withdrawn as a precaution, after reporting soreness and discomfort in his left ankle. He was expected to take the field on the final day.

The problem appears to have been caused by a return drive in the first innings, when Anderson was struck on the boot in his followthrough. Though he emerged ahead of the Sri Lankan second innings to go through his warm-ups with England's remaining seam bowlers, Matthew Hoggard and Ravi Bopara, he withdrew from the field after only a couple of deliveries, on the advice of the team doctor, Mike Stone.

In the absence of his two fast-bowling colleagues, it was left to Matthew Hoggard to carry the England attack, and he did so with aplomb, taking 5 for 25 in nine overs. "Jimmy was happy to come out and bowl," said Hoggard, "but it's a practice game and it's not crucial."

"He's bowled a lot of overs in the last month or so, and did really well in the one-day series, so not crucial that he missed out on 27 overs in one session. We felt we could could leave it 24 hours because we thought we'd have a long spell tomorrow." Thanks to the efforts of Hoggard and Bopara, however, that will not now be the case.

Meanwhile Harmison, who reported a back spasm during his first-innings stint, was said to be moving more freely after a swim and extensive physio. "We are expecting him to improve and we will test him out when we get to Kandy," said Graveney.

Chris Tremlett, who is based with the England Performance Programme in Chennai, is the likeliest stand-in if England do require pace-bowling back-up. That, however, is not on the cards just yet, as Harmison himself was an addition to the original 15-man tour party that was selected in September.

It wasn't just England's bowlers in the wars. The Sri Lankan legspinner, Kaushal Lokuarchichi, had to undergo an operation after suffering a broken finger while dropping a tough caught-and-bowled chance when Bopara had made 17.

Andrew Miller is UK editor of Cricinfo

© Cricinfo