Heat is on Vaughan to pick Terrific Two

Just a couple of years ago, when Australia were beaten, captain Michael Vaughan had pace aplenty at his disposal, with Steve Harmison, Andrew Flintoff, Matthew Hoggard and Simon Jones to rotate in attack during that never to be forgotten Ashes summer.

Now, even though Flintoff and Jones have succumbed to injury, Vaughan will lead a squad to Sri Lanka that contains more than enough speed and swing to make him happy.

Hoggard, Ryan Sidebottom, Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad are booked on tomorrow's flight while Harmison seems certain to join them in Colombo provided his trial period in South African domestic cricket ends satisfactorily. The trouble is not how many fast bowlers England take for a three-Test series that matters but which pair they pin their faith on should conditions demand the inclusion of two spinners.

Flintoff has seldom been out of the headlines in recent weeks and though Vaughan, coach Peter Moores and chairman of selectors David Graveney may deny it, he is unlikely to be out of England's thoughts over the next month as they try to pick a side left unbalanced by the lack of a world-class all-rounder.

It did not matter quite so much on home turf last summer when the attack contained three pacemen and a solitary spinner. But in Sri Lanka, with the possible exception of First Test venue Kandy, Monty Panesar and Graeme Swann are already inked on to the team sheet.

Paul Collingwood, certainly, Ian Bell, perhaps, and Ravi Bopara, if he forces his way into the side, can provide a bit of third-seamer support. But, in all probability, two frontline pacemen will need to bowl their hearts out with the new ball and then try to find some swing.

When England won in Sri Lanka six years ago, spinners Robert Croft and Ashley Giles played big parts. But so did pacemen Darren Gough and Andy Caddick, supported by Craig White.

"It will be fascinating to see which way England go in terms of picking two pace bowlers," said Jonathan Agnew, the former England paceman. "This series brings the whole Flintoff situation into sharp focus because they are really going to miss the bowling part of what he offers as an all-rounder.

"There is no way England dare drop a batsman, and play only five specialists, in order to accommodate five bowlers.

"So it will have to be four with bits of help from Collingwood, Bell, maybe Bopara, Kevin Pietersen and Vaughan.

"If they are brave they will go with two and two. If not, then they'll hope one main spinner can do the job and plump for a third paceman."

Given how he started last winter's Ashes series, could England risk Harmison as one of only two quick men?

"I think they will have to,"said Agnew. "To me, it's either Harmison or Broad, the other tall bowler who could unsettle the Sri Lankans with bounce, for one place and then either one or two out of Sidebottom, Hoggard and Anderson, depending on how many spinners they pick.

"With Hoggard, Anderson and Sidebottom, England have three similar bowlers in that they all look to swing the ball. But someone will need to try to ruffle Sri Lanka with hostility, as Flintoff has done before, and Harmison - on form - is the best bet."