Flintoff doubtful,Harmison recalled

Steve Harmison was added to Englands squad for second Ashes Test after it was learnt that all-rounder Andrew Flintoff needed a scan on a knee injury.

Fast bowler Steve Harmison was added to Englands squad on Monday for the second Ashes Test after it was learnt that all-rounder Andrew Flintoff needed a scan on a knee injury.

Harmison,dropped by England on the West Indies tour earlier this year,had claimed six wickets in a warm-up game against Australia. Andrew is experiencing soreness and swelling in the knee,which he twisted during the first Test,and he will be reassessed by the medical staff over the next 48 hours leading up to the Test on Thursday, England selector Geoff Miller said in a statement.

In the event of Andrew being unfit,Stephen is a like-for-like replacement in terms of the type of bowler he is. But we will need to consider all our options carefully when we come to determine the make-up of our bowling attack at Lords and the final decision will depend on our assessment of the pitch and the likely overhead conditions.

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England rarely select two spinners at Lords,like in Cardiff,so Monty Panesar or Graeme Swann may be omitted to accommodate an extra pace bowler,such as Harmison or Durham team mate Graham Onions. They could both play if Flintoff misses out. Flintoff,who has undergone four ankle operations since 2005,had a knee surgery in May after being injured in the Indian Premier League.

Squad: Andrew Strauss (captain),Alastair Cook,Ravi Bopara,Kevin Pietersen,Paul Collingwood,Matt Prior,Andrew Flintoff,Stuart Broad,Steve Harmison,James Anderson,Graeme Swann,Monty Panesar,Graham Onions,Ian Bell.