Dernbach gets England call for 2nd Test

Cardiff: Uncapped Surrey seamer Jade Dernbach was called up into a 12-man England squad on Tuesday for the second Test against Sri Lanka at Lord's starting on Friday after James Anderson was forced out with injury.

Jade Dernbach has been called up into a 12-man England squad for the second Test against Sri Lanka at Lord's after James Anderson was forced out with injury. © AFP

Anderson suffered a side strain during the course of England's first Test win and the swing bowler was not on the field when Sri Lanka were shot out for just 82 at Sophia Gardens here on Monday to give the hosts an innings and 14 run victory that left them 1-0 up in this three-match series. Dernbach was the only addition to the England squad, having seen off the challenge of the already-capped Ajmal Shahzad and Graham Onions and will now compete with Middlesex fast bowler Steven Finn, left out in Cardiff, for a place in the side at Lord's.
The 25-year-old Dernbach has yet to play for any senior England team despite being called up to the one-day squad for the World Cup quarter-final against Sri Lanka in March.
Dernbach wasn't selected to for that match but starred for the second-string England Lions by taking nine wickets against Sri Lanka in a recent tour match.
His inclusion means five players in England's 12 man squad -- captain Andrew Strauss, batsmen Jonathan Trott and Kevin Pietersen and wicketkeeper Matt Prior are the others -- were born in South Africa, with Trott, Pietersen and Dernbach all educated in the Republic.
England hope to have Anderson fit in time for the third and final Test against Sri Lanka at the Rose Bowl, starting on June 16 and national selector Geoff Miller said: "It's obviously disappointing to lose Jimmy Anderson for the next Test as he is world-class and the leader of our attack.
"But we're fortunate to have a healthy stock of pace bowlers at present. We're hopeful Jimmy will be available for the third Test but in the meantime we're excited by Jade Dernbach's inclusion.
"Jade is a talented young bowler and after excelling with the England Performance Programme over the winter he enjoyed considerable success with the ball against Sri Lanka while playing for the England Lions prior to the first Test," former England off-spinner Miller added.
England 12-man squad:
Andrew Strauss (capt), Alastair Cook, Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Eoin Morgan, Matt Prior (wkt), Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, Chris Tremlett, Steven Finn, Jade Dernbach
AFP