Kirtley asked to stay on as cover

James Kirtley is staying on in Sri Lanka to reinforce England's injury-hit Test attack.

The Sussex paceman learned just before today's limited overs international in Colombo was washed out without a ball bowled that the selectors want to keep him on board - at least until Jimmy Anderson recovers from his sprained ankle.

Kirtley - man of the match with eight wickets when England beat South Africa at Trent Bridge three months ago - could come into contention for Tuesday week's First Test in Galle, although Matthew Hoggard and Richard Johnson look the likeliest new-ball combination.

But if that was the good news for Kirtley today then the bad for him, his England colleagues, the Sri Lankan team and thousands of frustrated supporters came via dark clouds and heavy showers.

The second limited overs international never really had a chance of getting under way once the outfield at the Premadasa Stadium was turned into a quagmire by overnight storms.

Prospects of some play improved slightly when the sun broke through but two more showers made an abandonment inevitable.

"Parts of the ground are sodden and like a bog," said England captain Michael Vaughan. "There was no way we could have played an international game on that type of surface and this is getting very frustrating."

Sri Lankan cricket officials left it until yesterday evening to suggest using Saturday - a reserve day - in the event of bad weather. But the two sides could not agree on playing conditions.

In any event, with more rain forecast and the outfield now resembling a well trodden rugby ground in mid-winter, Sunday's final game is already in doubt unless the quality of covering is improved.

The unanswered question is why this tour was arranged to start in a month when rain is always likely.

"The two boards and the international schedule have brought us to Sri Lanka in November and that's monsoon time," said Vaughan. "Maybe that should be looked at."

At least Sri Lanka have the comfort of a 1-0 lead, thanks to their 10-wicket thrashing of England in Dambulla on Tuesday. Vaughan's men, on the other hand, urgently need to bat and bowl that humiliationout of their system. At least it should be dry in time for next month's Test series. Whatever the weather, though, England will be forced to unveil yet another new combination of fast bowlers.

Hoggard, Johnson and Andrew Flintoff are the leading candidates to form Vaughan's pace attack in Galle following the latest double injury blow.

But the sudden absence of both Steve Harmison and Anderson is nothing more than par for the course.

Since the start of last winter's Ashes series in Australia almost exactly a year ago, England have used 15 fast bowlers in 14 Tests - and only twice fielded the same pace attack.

Harmison, Anderson, Flintoff and Darren Gough appeared in consecutive matches against South Africa during the summer.

That, though, was where the notion of a settled attack began and ended.

From the moment Simon Jones collapsed in a heap on the Brisbane outfield last November after rupturing knee ligaments right through to Wednesday afternoon when Anderson turned his ankle here while playing squash, England pacemen have been falling like flies.