John Crawley is facing a fitness test on a back injury, and is a doubt for the first Test against Sri Lanka at Lord's on Thursday. Crawley, who earned a surprise recall after a three-year absence from the Test team, missed Hampshire's one-day match against Gloucestershire on Sunday, and will be assessed by England physio Dean Conway when the England team assembles in London.

"John has a strain in the lower part of his back, which he sustained during his innings against Kent the other day," said Hampshire director of cricket Tim Tremlett. "He's had a bit of rest and some treatment on it and he'll be reporting to Lord's to join up with the England squad."

Chairman of selectors, David Graveney, insisted that no replacements had been lined up, but Warwickshire's Ian Bell, 20, is believed to be in the frame, after narrowly missing out when the squad was announced on Saturday.

"We will have to see how John is before we make any decisions about who we are likely to call up," said Graveney.

Crawley has scored 1,329 runs in 29 Test appearances, but was dropped after the 1998-99 Ashes tour, and was recently involved in a high-profile court case with his former employers, Lancashire. He has, however, begun the season in fine form, and scored 272 against Kent in his debut innings for his new county Hampshire.

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