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England will be able to fly in Chris Tremlett from nearby India if strike fast bowler Stephen Harmison is ruled out of the forthcoming Test series away to Sri Lanka.

Harmison left the field with back spasms on Sunday’s first day of a three-day tour match against a Sri Lanka Cricket XI in Colombo after sending down the third ball of his 11th over an hour before close.

It was a worrying sign for England ahead of the start of Saturday’s first Test of a three-match series. But if they do need a replacement for Durham quick Harmison, a late entrant to the touring squad after proving his fitness playing first-class cricket in South Africa following hernia problems, Tremlett will be only a few hours’ flight away.

Hampshire fast bowler Tremlett, who played three Tests during the last English season, is a member of the England Performance Programme (EPP), the national academy squad, which has now relocated to the Indian city of Chennai from its home in Loughborough, central England.

It was Harmison’s groin injury which led to the 26-year-old Tremlett making his Test debut against India at Lord’s in July. He has so far taken 13 Tests wickets at a shade under 30 apiece. Teams from the 13-man EPP squad, while in Chennai, play a three-day match and a four-day match against a mixture of Indian and Sri Lankan first-class opposition.

Joining the players in India will be former England spinner Ashley Giles, now director of cricket at Warwickshire after a hip injury led to his retirement from playing last season, and ex-England batsman Martyn Moxon, Yorkshire’s professional cricket director.

Source:Cricket News