Finn and Bresnan wait as decision delayed over Broad

The seam bowler injured his left ankle minutes before the first warm-up game in Sri Lanka on Thursday, forcing him to withdraw, and there are question marks over his participation in today’s second tour match.

Broad would be a certainty to play in the first Test in Galle on March 26 if fully fit but, should England choose not to risk him against the Sri Lankan Development XI, it would mean plunging him straight into Test duty with no match practice in energy-sapping heat.

Broad looked tentative at the start of the tourists’ training session, running gingerly and lagging a long way behind his team-mates in the sprint drills, but was able to bowl in the nets. After a slow warm-up, he was approaching full tilt by the end of his spell and went on to bat as well.

Broad’s fitness doubts could give Steven Finn another chance to impress, while England may also choose to give Yorkshire all-rounder Tim Bresnan a match as they contemplate whether or not they will need him as a fifth specialist bowler for the Test series.

Opener Alastair Cook batted for a full day in the last practice match so could be rested as team director Andy Flower looks to give other batsmen some much-needed time in the middle.

Samit Patel will be hoping to get the opportunity to push his claims after being overlooked for Ravi Bopara against the Board XI.

Flower is targeting another professional display at the Singhalese Sports Club ground after a ruthless innings victory in their first game.

Sri Lanka will arrive back for the Test series having just contested the limited-overs Asia Cup in Bangladesh and Flower is hoping his side can take the edge in terms of preparations.

“I think it (the Asia Cup) is probably not Sri Lanka’s ideal preparation,” he said. “They are very experienced cricketers and they will be used to switching from one format to another. But I think they might be slightly under-cooked on that front and obviously we’d like to take the initiative.

“There’s still some acclimatisation time left before the first Test and this game is part of that.

“Our guys played superbly in the first three-day game. Now we have another and we would like to play to win that as well as getting the right time in the middle that our guys need.”

Ireland assured themselves of a place in the play-off stages of the ICC World Twenty20 qualifiers with an 82-run win over Uganda in Dubai.