England's fast bowler, James Anderson, has hurt his right ankle while playing squash and will miss Friday's one-day cricket match against Sri Lanka, a team spokesman said.
"We are checking on him again today to see the extent of his injury, but he will surely miss Friday's match," Mark Hodgson said on Thursday.
The match, the second in the three-match series, is crucial for England, because a defeat would put it out of the contention. Sri Lanka crushed the visitors by 10 wickets in the opening match on Tuesday at the central Sri Lankan town of Dambulla.
Hodgson said Anderson hurt his ankle Wednesday after a wet outfield forced the players to stay in their hotel. He will be replaced by seamer James Kirtley or spinner Gareth Batty depending on the pitch conditions.
This was England's second setback in recent weeks. Paceman Steve Harmison pulled out of the upcoming test series because of a lingering back injury. The lanky fast bowler had flown home from Bangladesh, having missed the second test because of lower back pain.
Harmison's absence seriously weakens the England bowling attack in the three-test series that begins at the southern port city of Galle on Dec. 2.
{{/usCountry}}Harmison's absence seriously weakens the England bowling attack in the three-test series that begins at the southern port city of Galle on Dec. 2.
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, the Sri Lankans are likely to play the same squad that defeated the Englishmen in the first one-day.
"The selectors will field the same team, unless there are last minute changes," Sri Lankan Cricket spokesman, Ray Illangakoon, said. Friday's match will be played at Premadasa Stadium, which traditionally favors spin bowlers.
Selectors may decide to include experienced offspinner Kumar Dharmasena at the expense of a seamer if they find the wicket favors the spinners.
Sri Lanka went in with three pace bowlers Tuesday, two of them making their debuts. The trio took seven wickets to dismiss England for 88 _ their second lowest total in a one-dayer. English skipper Michael Vaughan has vowed to bounce back and square the one-day series.
"We want to make sure that we work hard in the next two days, analyzing the game," Vaughan said.