The three players in the party of 14 who did not play in the previous match against the Sri Lanka Colts XI will all get their chance, fitness permitting.

There is a slight doubt over Paul Hutchison, who strained his calf on Tuesday in a pre-breakfast physical training session at the team hotel. The rigorous work-out did not appear to do Mike Gatting, the coach, much good either.

Gatting has been in bed for the last three days with an old problem, swollen shins and, with it, a fever. He is the second England tourist, after Steve James, to be taken ill.

If Hutchison suffers no overnight reaction to nets yesterday, he will come in for Jimmy Ormond. Chris Read replaces David Nash behind the stumps.

The Board President's XI are led by Arjuna Ranatunga's younger brother, Sanjeewa. He has a Test hundred to his name - against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo in October 1994 - but has not played Test cricket for three years. The rest of the side are young and relatively inexperienced at this level.

England A (probable): N V Knight (capt), S P James, D L Maddy, M A Ealham, A Flintoff, B C Hollioake, D R Brown, A F Giles, -C M W Read, P M Hutchison, D A Cosker.