 Harmison (left) will come into the side should Flintoff fail to prove his fitness |
Steve Harmison has been named in a 14-man England squad for the second Test against Australia at Lord's as cover for injury concern Andrew Flintoff.
All-rounder Flintoff has been sent for a scan on the same knee that he had surgery on earlier this year.
That has prompted a recall for seamer Harmison, with Graham Onions and Ian Bell retained from the original squad that drew the first Test in Cardiff.
Many expect changes to that side, with the Lord's pitch likely to favour seam.
However, England will be desperate for Flintoff to prove his fitness in time for the start on Thursday.
National selector Geoff Miller explained: "Andrew is experiencing soreness and swelling in the knee which he twisted while in the field and he will be reassessed by the medical staff over the next 48 hours leading up to the Test on Thursday.
 | We will need to consider all our options carefully when we come to determine the make-up of our bowling attack at Lord's National selector Geoff Miller |
"In the event of Andrew being unfit, we see Stephen as a like-for-like replacement in terms of the type of bowler he is and his ability to unsettle the opposition batsmen with pace and bounce.
"But we will need to consider all our options carefully when we come to determine the make-up of our bowling attack at Lord's and the final decision will depend on our assessment of the pitch and the likely overhead conditions."
Regardless of whether Flintoff can prove his fitness, England are only expected to select one spinner at Lord's, with Monty Panesar the most likely man to be dropped from the XI that started at Lord's, despite the fact fellow spinner Graeme Swann failed to take a wicket in Cardiff.
England can win without Flintoff - Miller
Stuart Broad, meanwhile, is also under pressure after taking just 1-129 as Australia's batsmen ran riot, with the Nottinghamshire seamer also reportedly suffering from a calf problem.
That could mean a recall for Onions, who took 10 wickets on debut against West Indies earlier this year, while Harmison, who has enjoyed an impressive start to the county campaign with Durham after last pulling on an England shirt against the Windies in February, will also be hopeful of a place.
And as a timely reminder to the selectors, Harmison took 5-60 against Yorkshire over the weekend in their county championship match.
However, batsman Bell is likely to miss out again as England keep faith with their batsmen, meaning a top order that accumulated just 99 runs between them in two innings is expected to remain intact.
Andrew Strauss (30 and 17), Alastair Cook (10 and six) and Ravi Bopara (35 and one) disappointed in Cardiff, but are likely to lead the innings again at Lord's - where England have not beaten Australia since 1934.
Kevin Pietersen, despite being criticised for the manner of his dismissal in both innings, Paul Collingwood and Matt Prior are certainties to be named in the starting XI again, meaning any changes to the side are most likely to be in the bowling department.
Australia's only selection issue ahead of the Lord's Test, meanwhile, surrounds Brett Lee, who was ruled out of the first match because of a rib injury.
At the time, the 31-year-old ranked his chances of starting the second Test as "slim" and therefore it is expected that the tourists will remain unchanged after falling just one wicket short of victory on Sunday.
England squad: AJ Strauss (capt), AN Cook (Essex), RS Bopara (Essex), KP Pietersen (Hampshire), PD Collingwood (Durham), MJ Prior (Sussex, wkt), A Flintoff (Lancashire), SCJ Broad (Nottinghamshire), GP Swann (Nottinghamshire), JM Anderson (Lancashire), MS Panesar (Northamptonshire), IR Bell (Warwickshire), G Onions (Durham), SJ Harmison (Durham)
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