Miller and Vaughan settle differences

Geoff Miller, England's chairman of selectors, has had a meeting with Michael Vaughan to dispel differences over the selection of the team for the second Test against South Africa. Vaughan, England's captain, had earlier said that the inclusion of Darren Pattinson had unsettled the team.

"We have analysed everything," Miller said. "We have cleared the issues that supposedly were involved in the last Test. I've had a chat to Michael Vaughan and I sat down with the selectors and there are no more problems.

"We are trying to make every decision on a sensible basis. We are responsible for selecting the side and people who know me well know there is a logic and a reason behind all the selections made."

Miller had stated before the meeting that he wanted to hear Vaughan's side after Pattinson's selection was made into a "massive issue by the media."

After Vaughan called Pattinson "a confused selection", Miller defended the inclusion of the 29-year-old fast bowler who had played only 11 first-class matches prior to his Test debut. "We garner opinion by talking to umpires, county coaches and other players and then we go and monitor the players that those chats throw up," Miller told the Daily Telegraph. "Once we've got a rounded picture, and if they're the kind of player Peter and Michael are looking for, we'll consider them for selection."

Pattinson's presence in the XI meant England went in with only five specialist batsmen with wicketkeeper Tim Ambrose batting at No. 6. After the ten-wicket defeat to South Africa, Vaughan said: "The whole Friday morning (the first morning of the Test) unsettled the team. You change the team by two players, there are players playing out of position and you leave out a player like Paul Collingwood, who is a huge player in the side, of course it has an effect."

Vaughan also said the team spirit was lacking during the second Test. "We didn't feel as much of a unit this week. I have a huge belief that we need to be a unit in Test cricket."

However, he defended Pattinson's performance (match figures of 2 for 96) and was unhappy with the severe criticism the fast bowler faced. "He tried his guts out and bowled some good spells. I felt sorry for him. He's not been in the set-up and didn't know anyone. We didn't know him, so it was difficult for him."

Vaughan keeps his cards close

England's team selection remains a closely guarded secret ahead of the first Test at Kandy, as Michael Vaughan weighs up his options on a wicket that, with 24 hours to go until the start of the match, already looks barer and drier than either of the captains had envisaged. Although Vaughan said that he was pretty clear in his own mind as to what the final composition would be, he refused to rule out any options, not even the inclusion of a second spinner in Graeme Swann.

"It's been a difficult decision," said Vaughan. "We came to the ground yesterday to see a wicket that's very green, and we've come to the ground today and found it's changed a fair bit. We've had a couple of long meetings about the final eleven, which proves we've got players in the squad who are pushing for places. It's been a hard decision but we're clearer about it now."

Kandy has long been earmarked as England's best opportunity for a victory in this series, given the cooler hilly conditions and the propensity for swing and seam, and Vaughan insisted that England were committed to selecting a side that would give them the best chance of taking 20 wickets in the match. On the subject of Swann's inclusion, he offered an enigmatic "maybe", and made light of the fact that he barely featured in England's two warm-ups.

"I think you can make too much of the warm-ups," said Vaughan. "A lot of the guys have just been on the one-day [tour], and so we all feel mentally ready and in good touch. It's just a matter of trying to groove those skills and make sure our mentality is right for Test match cricket. We need to work on our plans and strategies against all their unorthodox players."

The one man who does seem likely to sit out, despite another whole-hearted net session, is Steve Harmison, whose prospects have been in jeopardy ever since he suffered a back spasm during England's warm-up in Colombo last week. "He's available, and he bowled a hell of a lot yesterday," said Vaughan. "But it would be a slight risk as we saw him walk off having bowled ten or eleven overs in the last game.

"I think the pitch offered a bit more for the quicks yesterday," said Vaughan, as he added a further reason for Harmison's probable omission. "If you bowl well on any wicket, as a good seam bowler you can get something out of it. But I think looking at that pitch you're going to have to have all your skills available, and be very controlled. I guess that's one of the reasons why we've come to the eleven we have."

James Anderson, who was again lively in practice, has pushed his way up the pecking order since recovering from a bruised left ankle, and is the favourite to join Matthew Hoggard, Ryan Sidebottom and Monty Panesar in a four-man attack. There is a chance of a fifth bowling option if Ravi Bopara is handed a chance to make his debut at No. 6, but England seem wary of his inexperience in a top-order that - given the weakness of the lower order - simply has to fire first-time.

England enjoy valuable work-out

Scorecard

England's batsmen enjoyed a serene afternoon of batting practice as their opening warm-up match against a Sri Lanka Board President's XI meandered to a predictable draw. Of the eight batsmen who made it to the crease, only Kevin Pietersen missed out on some valuable time in the middle. Nuwan Kulasekara surprised him with some unexpected bounce, and Chamara Kapugedera claimed a simple catch in the gully.

With just one more game to come before the first Test at Kandy, England's innings contained four retirements and just one other wicket, that of Michael Vaughan, who played across the line to a quicker delivery from the legspinner Malinga Bandara, and was given out lbw for 38. Up until that point, Vaughan had looked in fine touch, as he and Alastair Cook launched their new opening partnership with a 77-run stand for the first wicket.

In a possible sign of things to come, it was the younger man Cook who faced the first over from Nuwan Kulasekara - a significant development because, remarkably, neither he nor Vaughan, who was Marcus Trescothick's regular opening partner from 2002 to 2004, have ever taken first strike in a Test match.

Vaughan's last stint as an England opener came in a one-off scenario in Lahore in 2005-06, when Andrew Strauss flew home for paternity leave, and Cook made his debut in England's next Test at Nagpur three months later. The new circumstances didn't faze either player, however, and Vaughan looked especially fluent with seven fours coming from his favoured pulls and cover drives.

Cook eased to his fifty from 80 deliveries in a measured innings that included seven fours - the pick of which was a firm cover drive off Kulasekara. England went to lunch on 130 for 1, whereupon Cook became the first of England's retirees. Pietersen replaced him after the break, but had time to face just 14 deliveries before Kulasekara squared him up with the ball of the day.

Ian Bell, in his customary manner, took his time to assess the conditions, but once set he started to unfurl his full range of strokes including a sweetly struck six over long-off, off the bowling of the slow left-armer Rangana Herath. He made 49 from 98 balls before making way for Owais Shah, and 12 overs later, Paul Collingwood - who was dropped at gully on 26 - retired on 52 from 69 balls, having signalled his satisfaction by heaving Bandara for consecutive sixes over midwicket.

Shah and Ravi Bopara, two batsmen who are effectively competing for the same No. 6 position, then carried England to tea, although Shah was lucky not to be caught at deep midwicket as he clipped loosely at Herath. Thereafter the pair became somewhat entrenched as each strived not to be outdone by the other, and England's run-rate - though inconsequential - slowed appreciably.

Shah was eventually called back to the marquee having made 38 from 75 balls with three fours, and though the rains threatened after tea they held off for the first time in the match, which allowed Matt Prior to join Bopara and see England through to the close. All in all there was little to guage from the batting performance, but England will be all the better prepared after an arduous three days' work.