Colombo, Nov 20: England's fast bowler, James Anderson, has hurt his right ankle while playing squash and will miss tomorrow's one-day cricket match against Sri Lanka, a team spokesman said. "We are checking on him again today to see the extent of his injury, but he will surely miss Friday's match," Mark Hodgson told the Associated Press today.

The match, the second in the three-match series, is crucial for England, because a defeat would put it out of the contention. Sri Lanka crushed the visitors by 10 wickets in the opening match on Tuesday at the central Sri Lankan town of Dambulla.

Hodgson said Anderson hurt his ankle yesterday after a wet outfield forced the players to stay in their hotel. He will be replaced by seamer James Kirtley or spinner Gareth Batty depending on the pitch conditions.

This was England's second setback in recent weeks. Paceman Steve Harmison pulled out of the upcoming Test series because of a lingering back injury. The lanky fast bowler had flown home from Bangladesh, having missed the second Test because of lower back pain.

Harmison's absence seriously weakens the England bowling attack in the three-Test series that begins at the southern port city of Galle on December 2.

Bureau Report