Pace duo set to miss final warm-up (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Pace duo set to miss final warm-up

1:05pm Wednesday 7th November 2012 in National Sport © Press Association 2013

First-choice Test fast bowlers Stuart Broad and Steven Finn are both expected to miss England's final warm-up match before the start of the series against India.

Finn suffered a thigh strain in the first tour match against India A, and Broad then bruised his left heel against Mumbai A. Both went for scans which did not reveal serious injury last week, and it is still thought likely Broad at least will be ready for the first Test of four in Ahmedabad on November 15.

Neither he nor Finn, however, appear set to play against Haryana in a four-day match which begins on the adjacent ground on Thursday.

England batting coach Graham Gooch, speaking before Wednesday's team meeting, made it clear he was not "100 per cent sure" about selection.

But he added: "I think it's unlikely that they will be considered for this game. They've both got injuries, and I don't think they're going to be ready for this game."

Finn managed only four overs before going off injured.

Broad got through 10 and was able to take the field, but not bowl, the day after he had his scan.

"With a bruised heel, it is something that can be very annoying and can take time to clear up," said Gooch. "You've got to see how it goes each day, whether it gets better with the rest - keep checking it and see how it comes on.

"There's no other way of going about it really."