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Last Updated: Sunday, 2 November, 2003, 13:58 GMT
Johnson 'unlikely' for Tests
Johnson and Vaughan
Richard Johnson's man-of-the-match display against Bangladesh may not gain him a Test place in Sri Lanka.

The Somerset seamer was called up as a late replacement for the injured James Anderson for this Tests in Bangladesh.

He claimed figures of 9-93 in England's 329-run second Test win but is still expected to return home after the forthcoming one-day series.

"At this stage we've picked the seamers so it will have to stay at that," said coach Duncan Fletcher.

Both Johnson and a fully fit Anderson are in the squad as England play three one-day internationals in Bangladesh and three in Sri Lanka.

Opportunities do arise when there are injuries and Richard has definitely taken his
England captain Michael Vaughan
But England have yet to confirm their squad to play three Tests in Sri Lanka in December and four more in the West Indies in March.

"I'm not contracted for the Sri Lanka part, so I'll play the one-dayers." Johnson told BBC Radio Five Live.

"Then if I get the news I'm going home, I'll go home, keep fit and then try to force my way on the West Indies tour."

Johnson's best chance of playing Tests in Sri Lanka appears to be the back injury suffered by Stephen Harmison, which will be assessed over the next few days.

After claiming 15 wickets in just two Test appearances, Johnson has made a very strong case for his inclusion in the squad.

But Fletcher said the bowler's injury record - a knee injury kept him out of the home series against South Africa - was a cause for concern.

"It must be frustrated for Johnson," Fletcher told Five Live.

"He should have played for England some time ago but injuries keep cropping up.

"One of the concerns we have in Test cricket is whether he can stand up to five hard days when you might put in 30 overs a day."

England's six Test specialists fly home on Sunday, returning to Sri Lanka at the end of November to start preparations for the Test series.

The one-day squad, including seven new faces, take on a Bangladesh Cricket Board XI in Chittagong on Wednesday, two days before the first international.


England one-day squad: Michael Vaughan, James Anderson, Gareth Batty, Ian Blackwell, Rikki Clarke, Paul Collingwood, Andrew Flintoff, Ashley Giles, Richard Johnson, James Kirtley, Anthony McGrath, Chris Read, Vikram Solanki, Andrew Strauss, Marcus Trescothick.



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