Bresnan set to miss Tests

Tim Bresnan is set to miss the forthcoming npower Test series against Sri Lanka after suffering a recurrence of his calf injury.

The England and Wales Cricket Board stopped short of ruling the Yorkshire seamer out entirely but a statement made it clear the 26-year-old is likely to play no part in the three-match series which begins in Cardiff next week.

The ECB statement read: "England medical staff confirmed that England and Yorkshire all-rounder Tim Bresnan has sustained a torn right calf muscle and is likely to miss the three-match npower Test Series against Sri Lanka, beginning in Cardiff on Thursday 26 May."

The statement continued: "This is a reoccurrence of an injury Bresnan first sustained earlier in the year during the ODI series against Australia. A rehabilitation and recovery programme will be established in the coming days following further medical assessment."

Bresnan has been troubled by the same injury since shortly after the end of the Ashes, but was nonetheless able to play a prominent role for England in their stuttering World Cup campaign in February and March.

He had to fly home from Australia and missed England's last five one-day internationals there at the start of the year.

But he was fit again in time to face Holland in Nagpur in his country's World Cup opener, and to feature for Yorkshire last week.

Yet after Bresnan was ruled out of the LV= County Championship match against Roses rivals Lancashire this week, he underwent scans on Monday.

Bresnan's expected absence will provide an opportunity for his fellow Yorkshireman Ajmal Shahzad and Durham's Graham Onions - himself back from long-term injury - to push for a place in England's first Test squad when they face Sri Lanka for the Lions at Derby this week.

Stuart Broad, James Anderson and Chris Tremlett are the most likely seam contingent for the series opener.