At the very moment that the players begin their warm up routine in the Lord's nets before the final practice, captain Michael Atherton and coach David Lloyd will be sitting in court three miles away in the Strand - having been subpoeaned by Imran Khan's lawyers - waiting to give evidence for the defence.
Atherton, who is expected to be called before Lloyd, said: ``I'm due to go in the witness box in the morning. Hopefully I'll be able to get back to Lord's at some time.''
Lloyd, who spent 2.5 hours in court yesterday morning but was not called, commented: ``This will all be very disruptive for our preparation.
``I like to prepare fully before a very important match like this; studying videos of the opposition, discussing tactics and so on.
``I have no time for nowt when there is a Test match on. But life isn't easy. We have to get on with it.''
To complicate the team schedule further, Atherton and Lloyd are due to have breakfast at Downing Street this morning with the Prime Minister, along with three members of the side, Jack Russell, Graham Thorpe and Alec Stewart.
England begin their nets session at 11.30am and the High Court is due to resume an hour earlier. Lloyd said gloomily: ``If I were a betting man I couldn't see me being at Lord's on Wednesday.''
Asked who would organise the practice in his absence, he said Alan Knott would take charge of wicket-keeping, Peter Lever would oversee the bowlers and Atherton would also play a leading role ``if he is there in time'.
It had been hoped that the ramifications of the libel action, in which Botham and Lamb are sueing former Pakistan captain Imran Khan, would not interfere with the Test series.
But there is now concern in the ``glasshouse'' - the new headquarters at Lord's into which the Test and County Cricket Board have just moved - that the two matters are on a logistical collision course.
The board's lawyers had approached Imran's representatives expressing the hope that the two events would not overlap and were told then that every effort would be made to prevent that happening.
That now seems no more than a pious hope. Lloyd had to dash back to Lord's from the High Court yesterday to organise the first practice session.
He did not seem enamoured by his rare excursion into the legal world. ``I was told off for reading a paper in court. It was like watching a fire going out. I must say I didn't enjoy it. You just sit there.''
Asked if he was concerned that he might finish up in jail for his remarks, Lloyd said: ``I will lay you a bet I would be out again in time for United's first match of the season.''
The Pakistan team have kept a strict vow of silence on both the Imran case and the overtones of alleged ball-tampering that it has carried.
Their tour manager, Yawar Saeed, commented: ``We are only interested in playing cricket. Nothing else beyond the cricket field concerns us. Both captains have stated already that they want a peaceful series.
``It should be controversy-free. That is what we want. We are looking forward to a good series with plenty of positive cricket.''
Saeed Anwar, a victim of malaria last year, has undergone blood tests after feeling ill last week but has received a clean bill of health and will play.
However Waqar Younis, who has had hamstring problems, will undergo a final test today. ``He is an experienced professional and will know then whether he is up to the demands of a Test match,'' the manager added.
Pakistan will not decide whether to go in with two spinners until they have had another look at the pitch. Yawar Saeed commented: ``We have had one look at the wicket but I think it may change in character before the game and our final selection will depend on that.''