England call up Jade Dernbach as cover for second Test

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Jade DernbachImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Dernbach took nine wickets for the Lions in a tour match against Sri Lanka

England have added uncapped Surrey seam bowler Jade Dernbach to their squad for the second Test against Sri Lanka at Lord's starting on Friday.

The 25-year-old was called up as cover at the 2011 World Cup but has yet to make his international debut.

He has been brought in after a side strain ruled out James Anderson.

However, Middlesex's Steve Finn - who was 12th man for the first Test, which England won by an innings an 14 runs - is expected to play on his home ground.

Anderson suffered his injury, which has been diagnosed as a grade one tear, in the first innings of the remarkable Test match at Cardiff.

He did not bowl in Sri Lanka's dramatic second-innings collapse, which left them all out for 82 in 24.4 overs on the final afternoon, as England captured victory when a match badly affected by rain seemed certain to be drawn.

South African-born Dernbach, who made his county debut aged 17, took nine wickets in the recent Lions match against the Sri Lankans at Derby.

Given Sri Lanka's fallibility to the rising delivery England may decide to include 22-year-old Finn, who took 14 wickets in three Ashes Tests last winter, in a three-man pace attack of tall bowlers with Stuart Broad and Chris Tremlett.

England are hopeful that Anderson will recover for the third and final Test of the series, which begins at the Rose Bowl, Hampshire, on 16 June.

National selector Geoff Miller said: "It's obviously disappointing to lose Jimmy Anderson for the next Test as he is world-class and the leader of our attack but we're fortunate to have a healthy stock of pace bowlers at present.

"We're hopeful Jimmy will be available for the third Test but in the meantime we're excited by Jade Dernbach's inclusion.

"Jade is a talented young bowler and after excelling with the England Performance Programme over the winter he enjoyed considerable success with the ball against Sri Lanka while playing for the Lions."

England coach Andy Flower added: "The coaches have been impressed with him and we just wanted another option, with James Anderson stepping out, other than the tall bowler in Steven Finn.

"We'll monitor the conditions at Lord's and pick what we think is the best line-up.

"I haven't seen much of him to be honest. I've seen him bowl once, at Derby against Sri Lanka, where he bowled very well.

"He bowls outswing, he's got a good bouncer and slower ball and he can bowl for long periods.

"I don't know him well as a person but he joined our squad right at the end of the World Cup campaign and fitted in well."

England squad:

A Strauss (c), A Cook, J Trott, K Pietersen, I Bell, E Morgan, M Prior (wk), S Broad, G Swann, C Tremlett, S Finn, J Dernbach.

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