‘Injured’ English pride under threat again

Much has been made in England of the injuries which have deprived the side of captain Michael Vaughan, fast bowler Simon Jones and left-arm spinner Ashley Giles for the entire season.

England will also start at least the first Test without Vaughan’s stand-in Andy Flintoff. Even taking injuries into account the feeling persists that England have under-achieved in their three series since defeating Australia with a lack of concentration and rigour allowing Sri Lanka to seize a 1-1 draw in the most recent encounter.

Harmison, who missed the three-Test series against Sri Lanka with sore shins, is one player with no intention of playing the injury card.

“We can make as many excuses as we want about injuries but I think it’s time we put them to bed. We need to stop making excuses,” he said.

Harmison’s role at the ground where he unsettled the Australians last year with his pace and bounce becomes even more important if Matthew Hoggard is unable to take the field.

The team plans to wait until the last minute before deciding if Hoggard is fit to play. “He had a useful workout in the nets today and we have to see how he comes through tomorrow morning. It may be that tonight we can make a decision but it may not be,” Strauss said after nets today.

Jon Lewis, a similar type of bowler to Hoggard with his reliance on late outswing, is in the squad as a potential replacement while Ian Bell has been recalled to bat at number six in place of Flintoff.

Pakistan, who have not lost a series in England since 1982, also have injury problems.

Shoaib Akhtar and his opening partner Rana Naved ul-Hasan was ruled out of the tour this week with a groin injury. There is still plenty of talent among the remaining bowlers with leg spinner Danish Kaneria relishing the chance to play in the latter part of the English season when the pitches are drier and offer most assistance to the spinners. Pakistan’s particular strength lies in their batting. Inzamam-ul-Haq averaged over a hundred in the last series with a lowest score of 53 and two centuries in the second test while Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf are consistent accumulators.