Harmison scan is clear

Steve Harmison could yet be fit in time for the first Test at Kandy despite sustaining a back injury while bowling on the opening day of England's warm-up match in Colombo. The England medical staff sent him for a scan on Tuesday morning, but the results have come back clear.

"We're going to monitor him [Harmison] over the next 48 hours," Reuters quoted Michael Vaughan as saying. "Yesterday he was moving very gingerly but today he was moving more freely so that's a good sign."

Harmison reported a back spasm after bowling the third ball of his 11th over of the match, and has not batted or retaken the field since the injury. England have been optimistic throughout that he has been showing signs of improvement, but his lack of match practice could yet tell against him. He has bowled just 16.3 overs since arriving from South Africa last week.

Chris Tremlett, who is based with the England Performance Programme in Chennai, is the likeliest stand-in if England do require pace-bowling back-up. That, however, is not on the cards just yet, as Harmison himself was an addition to the original 15-man tour party that was selected in September.

In another encouraging sign for England, their other injury concern, James Anderson, has recovered from the ankle problem that kept him off the field during the second day's play. He had time to bowl just six deliveries on the final morning before wrapping up the Sri Lankan innings with a sharp bouncer to Chanaka Welegedera.