Jade Dernbach wins England call

Dernbach's ability to swing the ball has earned him a place in a 12-man squad named yesterday to try to consolidate England's innings victory in Cardiff, and perhaps wrap up the three-match npower series early.

The Surrey bowler is uncapped but has been called up on the strength of his performances for England Lions in the Caribbean last winter.

In the absence this week of James Anderson - who, England hope, will be fit again after his side problem in time for the third Test at the Rose Bowl - Dernbach may be the preferred option to exploit conditions in the event of cloud cover in London. A sunny forecast may, however, ensure Steven Finn is given the nod for a return on his home ground.

Coach Andy Flower said: "He did very well on the Lions' tour of the West Indies - he was their outstanding fast bowler."

The Johannesburg-born 25-year-old pressed his claims again with a couple of eye-catching spells in the Lions' defeat against Sri Lanka shortly before the first Test. But Flower added: "I haven't seen much of him, to be honest. I've seen him bowl once, at Derby against Sri Lanka, where I think he got nine wickets in the match and 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.

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

Yorkshire's Ajmal Shahzad must have been on the short-list as a like-for-like replacement for Anderson, but appears to have lost form for his county at a crucial moment. With Tim Bresnan also injured and question marks also lingering over the match fitness of Graham Onions and Chris Woakes, it came down to Dernbach.

The presence of the tall Tremlett and Broad, who took six wickets between them as Sri Lanka were blown away for 82 inside 25 overs in Monday's remarkable conclusion to England's landslide win at Cardiff, creates the need for an alternative to the gangly Finn but it seems Dernbach will also need to impress in the nets.

With back-to-back Tests meaning Anderson was never likely to feature at Lord's as soon as he felt discomfort in his side, England will be assessing his progress before the third Test.

Chief medical officer Nick Peirce said: "The nature of Jimmy's injury is a grade one tear, which is a low-end injury but, given it's a side strain, we need to proceed cautiously - which is why he has been ruled out of the second Test."

ENGLAND SQUAD (for the second npower Test against Sri Lanka at Lord's, starting on Friday): AJ Strauss (captain), AN Cook, IJL Trott, KP Pietersen, IR Bell, EJG Morgan, MJ Prior (wkt), SCJ Broad, GP Swann, CT Tremlett, ST Finn, JW Dernbach.