By Martin Gough BBC Sport Online

Captain Nasser Hussain says that the 11 players handed central contracts by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) will not automatically be selected to the Test side.

That will come as reassurance to veteran wicketkeeper Alec Stewart, whose name was missing from the list, named at the beginning of this month.

It will be an incentive to players such as John Crawley, who started the season with a double century for new county Hampshire,

In two weeks' time we'll pick the best Test side to beat Sri Lanka

Nasser Hussain

Stewart is more likely to play again in the one-day side than the Test XI

"James has shown already in a short time that he's mentally very strong. He's done a lot better than I or the selectors expected and we have got to give him a go," Hussain said,

"Obviously Alec's name will come up from time to time because he's a world class cricketer.

"But there's not point us going round in circles. Eventually we will have to find a replacement.

"Whoever we bring in will do something wrong, and if we leave them out just because of that, the next lad will come in and do exactly the same thing."

But Hussain hinted that Stewart may gain another chance to play for his country in the one-day side, and specifically the World Cup in South Africa next February.

And he even mentioned Glamorgan wicket-keeper Mark Wallace, who attended the Academy as a possibility for the limited overs arena.

"There is another factor in one-day cricket - the World Cup coming up in nine months," Hussain went on.

"So we will have to work out if James Foster or Wallace will be ready. It does take time, especially in one-day cricket and especially batting in those positions."

'World's best'

Hussain admitted that Sri Lanka would be weakened by the loss of star spinner Muttiah Muralitharan for the first Test.

Muralitharan will miss the Lord's Test through injury

But he refused to discount the tourists, whom England defeated 2-1 away from home a year ago, and he was cautious over reports on Muralitharan's injured left shoulder.

"Muralitharan is obviously a big player for them but rumours on his availability change from week to week," he said.

"Everyone in English cricket wants to see him bowl - he's probably the best off-spinner there's ever been - but they've got some fine batters as well.

"They're not a one-man side. They're the most up and coming side in world cricket in the last year and they probably feel they owe us after we nipped it at the last minute out there."