CRICKET: Steve Harmison is a doubt for next week's first Ashes Test in Brisbane after suffering a side strain in England's final warm-up match, according to England coach Duncan Fletcher.
Harmison has a recurrence of the left side strain that forced him out of England's one-day series against Pakistan and has had a cortisone injection in the affected area.
Sajid Mahmood replaced Harmison in the three-day match that started at Adelaide Oval yesterday and could do so again against Australia in Brisbane if the Durham pace bowler fails to recover in time.
"It looks very similar to what he had in the summer - in the back (of the left side)," said Fletcher.
"It just felt a big niggly yesterday and this morning it was a little bit stiffer, so we sent him off to have a scan, which seems pretty inconclusive again - difficult to pick up. So they just injected in the area he's feeling uncomfortable with and we'll just bowl him tomorrow (in the nets) and see how he pulls up.
"He's not guaranteed for Brisbane. We'll just see what effect this (cortisone) injection has on it. He feels a bit of pain in the back, stiffness sets in."
Fletcher said he hoped Harmison would still play in Brisbane because he is "an important part of the side and the other bowlers feed off him."
Fletcher said England's first Test team was "not cast in stone yet" and he described the choice of Monty Panesar ahead of fellow left-arm spinner Ashley Giles for the SA match as "a huge selection decision".
"It's not final yet," he said. "It was just the side we were comfortable with when we came over - with (Marcus) Trescothick playing. But now having lost Trescothick, who's a huge asset to the side, we've just got to rethink about it over the next three or four days. We've still got some other considerations to take in before that first Test.
"With Trescothick going (home), we're still going to have to look at that batting line-up. We might have to make a change but at this stage it's similar to that side we went in with today."
Andrew Strauss's early dismissal soured some of England's hard work in restricting South Australia to 247 for seven declared on day one of their final Ashes warm-up match at Adelaide Oval.
Fast bowler Shaun Tait's first ball went for four wides but his third thudded into Strauss' pads - a dream result for Tait as he strives to win a spot in the Australia side for next week's first Test in Brisbane.
Alastair Cook (six not out) and nightwatchman Matthew Hoggard (10) survived the next five overs until stumps, with England 24 for one.
South Australia captain Darren Lehmann's declaration, after one delivery had been bowled with the second new ball, backed his stated intention to try to force a result, and it also means England can expect to have the second innings they need to help prepare for the first Test.
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
First Innings
M T G Elliott c G O Jones b Anderson 11
D J Harris c Collingwood b Hoggard 10
C J Borgas c Cook b Panesar 73
M J Cosgrove c G O Jones b Hoggard 1
C J Ferguson lbw b Hoggard 0
D S Lehmann run out 99
S A Deitz c G O Jones b Flintoff 24
C B Bailey not out 13
J N Gillespie not out 7
Extras lb2 w1 nb6 pens 0 9
Total 7 wkts dec (81.1 overs) 247
Fall: 1-21 2-21 3-25 4-25 5-182 6-220 7-226. Did Not Bat: D J Cullen, S W Tait. Bowling: Hoggard 13 4 40 3 Anderson 14 4 46 1 Flintoff 12 2 34 1 Mahmood 15.1 1 57 0 Collingwood 1 0 1 0 Panesar 22 7 54 1 Pietersen 4 1 13 0
ENGLAND
First Innings Close
A J Strauss lbw b Tait 0
A N Cook not out 6
M J Hoggard not out 10
Extras lb1 w5 nb2 pens 0 8
Total 1 wkt (6 overs) 24
Fall: 1-5. To Bat: I R Bell, P D Collingwood, K P Pietersen, A Flintoff, G O Jones, S I Mahmood, J M Anderson, M S Panesar. Bowling: Tait 3 0 11 1 Gillespie 2 0 4 0 Bailey 1 0 8 0.
