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Samit Patel
Staking his claim: Samit Patel impressed this morning and could form half of of a twoman spin presence for the first one-dayer on Friday

Broad injury will narrow England's attack options

David Lloyd, Cricket Correspondent
11 Nov 2008


Stuart Broad is England's latest injury worry ahead of this week's first one-day international in India.

Fast bowler Broad, who has become a key member of Kevin Pietersen's attack, missed today's final warm-up match against a Mumbai XI because of a sore right knee and is now a doubt for Friday's game in Rajkot.

England described the decision to leave out the 22-year-old as a "precaution" but with another seamer, Ryan Sidebottom, still recovering from ankle and calf problems, Pietersen may not be spoiled for choice in the pace department at the start of a seven-game series.

With both Broad and Sidebottom missing today, Pietersen was happier than ever to have Steve Harmison back in the ranks. And the fast bowler who returned to England's limited-overs side late last season after 'un-retiring' himself, picked up two wickets in Mumbai as the hosts were restricted to 222 for seven off their 50 overs.

The tourists won their opening game, a 12-a-side practice match against similar opponents, by 122 runs thanks in part to a century from Andrew Flintoff and 85 by Owais Shah.

Middlesex batsman Shah was rested today to give Luke Wright an opportunity but it was the bowlers who first came under scrutiny once Pietersen won the toss.

Jimmy Anderson, dropped for the Stanford £10million match in Antigua, followed on from Sunday's impressive three-wicket performance by claiming another quick success when opener Paul Valthaty edged to first slip.

Valthaty could have gone even earlier, though, having been reprieved in Anderson's first over when wicketkeeper Matt Prior failed to take a chance after diving low to his right.

Harmison had two appeals for catches behind and an leg before shout denied against Mumbai's other opener, Praful Waghele.

Having survived Harmison's testing early spell, Waghele grew in confidence while new batsman Sushant Marathe settled quickly. Despite the introduction of Flintoff and then spinners Swann and Samit Patel into the attack, England had to wait 24 overs to break the partnership.

Attempting to increase the scoring rate, Waghele tried one slog sweep too many and chipped Swann straight to Patel at mid-wicket.

Left-armer Patel claimed another success in the next over with a smart return catch to remove captain Onkar Khanvilkar and it needed 37 off 35 balls from Shoaib Shaikh, who hit two sixes off Patel and another off Paul Collingwood, to lift Mumbai to a respectable total.

But once Marathe fell for a stubborn 65, caught behind down the leg side off Harmison, Mumbai struggled and a another wicket for Patel meant that England's two slow bowlers had combined well together and look likely to join forces on Friday.

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