Thaindian News

Cardiff, May 28 (IANS) England suffered a setback in the ongoing first Test against Sri Lanka after their pace spearhead James Anderson was Saturday ruled out from bowling further in the match due to a side strain.

Anderson, however, will do the job of a night watchman after he was sent up the order on day two with England making 47 for one in reply to Sri Lanka’s 400 all out in the first innings. The Lancashire bowler felt the pain the same day and was forced to leave the field after picking three wickets.

England’s medical team said Anderson has a grade one strain and will require two to three weeks of rest. That means he will be doubtful for the second Test starting June 3 at Lord’s.

“Obviously, it’s a huge concern for us,” said fellow fast bowler Stuart Broad, who also suffered a similar injury that cut short his stay in India during the 2011 World Cup.

“I know what side injuries are all about after this winter, and when you get a little bit of pain it is not great.”

“It is one of the frustrating injuries as a bowler. Hopefully, it will just be a little tightness,” Broad was quoted as saying by BBC Sport.

Broad hoped that Anderson will frustrate the Sri Lankans with the bat.

“Jimmy is not feeling pain when he is batting and hopefully he will have one of those frustrating hours on Saturday when he wears a few but gets it away.”

“With my side-injury I could do pretty much everything but bowl. An extensive pull-shot might strain it or something, but we don’t really see Jimmy playing a huge amount of them; he is more of a clip-to-fine-leg man,” he said.