Broad benefits from Harmison injury

Uncapped Leicestershire paceman Stuart Broad is the beneficiary of the current uncertainty over Steve Harmison's fitness in England's Test squad to face India on Thursday.

Broad, 21, has been named in the 13-man group for the first npower Test at Lord's along with Lancashire's James Anderson while Harmison, whose hernia problem will be reassessed on Monday, is also in but rated extremely doubtful.

"At this stage his chances of playing are slim and the choice for the final pace bowling position will be between James Anderson and Stuart Broad," confirmed chairman of selectors David Graveney.

"They are different types of bowlers and the final decision will depend on our assessment of the pitch and the weather conditions at Lord's.

"It will be very disappointing if we are without Stephen as he has been in excellent form for Durham recently and looked to be back to his best in the last Test against West Indies at Chester-le-Street.

"It may mean that we have to go into this series with a relatively inexperienced attack, but I am sure all of the bowlers concerned will relish the opportunity to test themselves against a side which has one of the strongest batting line-ups in world cricket."

Otherwise England will be unchanged from the side which completed a 3-0 series victory over West Indies last month at the Riverside.

Matthew Hoggard will lead the attack in his fourth Test series against India.

Hoggard and captain Michael Vaughan, his Yorkshire team-mate are the only two in the party who played in the series opener five years ago when England won comprehensively.