Broad earns Test call-up
Broad could replace Harmison in the side for the Lord's Test
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Sunday, 15, Jul 2007 08:57
Leicestershire seamer Stuart Broad has earned a call-up to the England Test squad as cover for Steve Harmison who is nursing a hernia injury.
Also included in the 13-man squad is James Anderson as coach Peter Moores expands his bowling options ahead of the first Test against India on Thursday.
Harmison aggravated his hernia problem playing for Durham in their County Championship game with Sussex on Friday and could miss the rest of the summer if he undergoes surgery.
Chairman of selectors David Graveney said: "At this stage his chances of playing are slim and the choice for the final pace bowling position will be between James Anderson and Stuart Broad.
"They are different types of bowlers and the final decision will depend on our assessment of the pitch and the weather conditions at Lord's."
Graveney said that despite the inexperience the bowling attack had without Harmison he felt they would rise to the challenge of facing one of the strongest batting line-ups in world cricket.
Other than the addition of Broad the squad is otherwise unchanged from the one that beat West Indies at Chester-le-Street.
Andrew Strauss looks set to retain his place at the top of the order despite a woeful time with the bat recently. The Middlesex man was out for one in his appearance for England Lions against India this weekend.
Michael Vaughan returns to captain the side after sitting out the recent limited overs series with West Indies. The Yorkshire player is also searching for form after making just six in his last County Championship appearance.
England squad: Michael Vaughan (Yorkshire, captain), James Anderson (Lancashire), Ian Bell (Warwickshire), Stuart Broad (Leicestershire), Paul Collingwood (Durham), Alastair Cook (Essex), Stephen Harmison (Durham), Matthew Hoggard (Yorkshire), Monty Panesar (Northamptonshire), Kevin Pietersen (Hampshire), Matthew Prior (Sussex), Ryan Sidebottom (Nottinghamshire), Andrew Strauss (Middlesex).