The only short-term solution is to recall Mike Atherton, either as an opener or at No 6 to fill the sort of busy but binding middle-order role which Arjuna Ranatunga does for Sri Lanka and Graham Thorpe, still recovering from his back operation, has often played with distinction for England. Alistair Brown could be dropped down to six if the pitch looks likely to be helpful to fast bowlers early on, but that is unlikely today. Whichever course is taken it looks as though Adam Hollioake will have to make way.
It might be harsh to appear to be blaming the defeat on Tuesday, England's 10th in their last 12 internationals against South Africa, on the moment when Hollioake dropped an apparently straightforward catch in the deep off the luckless Robert Croft. Another batsman - Shaun Pollock perhaps - might have got most of the runs which Pat Symcox subsequently scored. But Hollioake has scored only three and 10 and simply is not the confident cricketer he was last season, either with bat or ball.
Come next year's World Cup it may boil down to a choice between Atherton and Nasser Hussain, depending on form, to augment the five who have proved themselves most worthy of regular one-day places - Brown, Thorpe, Nick Knight, Alec Stewart and Graeme Hick.
There needs then to be one more solid and adaptable all-round cricketer at seven, namely Mark Ealham, who was also prevented by injury from playing in this tournament. With Croft or Ashley Giles and three specialist quick bowlers from the present quartet of Darren Gough, Peter Martin, Alan Mullally and Angus Fraser, England would then have the makings of a side capable of winning the World Cup.
A second win against the champions today would be a small but important step towards that enticing prize. The pitch used last Sunday for the England/Sri Lanka game has been prepared again for today, which means that England will consider working Giles into the attack, but, given that they cannot afford to weaken the batting further, that would presumably have to be at the expense of Ian Austin, who has bowled straight and dependably in both games so far and made an excellent case for himself as Ealham's reserve in the World Cup 15.
The Sri Lankans, as usual, look to their little genius, Aravinda de Silva, to set the beat to which the opposition will have to dance, especially if England can break the opening partnership of Sanath Jayasuriya and Romesh Kaluwitharana quickly, as Gough and Martin did on Sunday. Sri Lanka are also considering a change at six, adding the experienced Hashan Tillekeratne to their team along with the leg-spinner, Upul Chandana, and the seamer, Mario Villavarayan.
Sri Lanka's best chance is to bat first and set the sort of demanding target which might test England's notoriously soft underbelly. On a pitch being used a second time Muttiah Muralitharan will be the other main danger. The hover cover was in place yesterday - and overnight - protecting the surface not from the threat of rain but from too much sun. It is another of the harder, bouncier pitches which have been characteristic of the relaid pitches at Lord's and it now has small, mosaic cracks, although they promise more for the spinners than they will deliver.
The white Duke ball will no doubt swing again. The Sri Lankans have written to the International Cricket Council to say that they think the ball is too hard and that it is responsible for cracking five or six of their bats. Cronje had no complaint when asked about it but confirmed that it is hard and that it swings: the South Africans may use it at home to prepare for the World Cup.
The ICC World Cup trophy, £27,000 worth of silver and gilt, will be on display today in a tent at the Nursery End. Spectators can be photographed with it between 11.30am and 1.30pm but one or two Vinnie Jones types will be hovering in case anyone should be tempted to leave early.
Claims by ICC president Jagmohan Dalmiya that the third umpire could rule on bat-pad decisions from next month were denied yesterday.
David Richards, the ICC chief executive, said: ``There has been no change in the level of technology - we have no plans to increase its use any more than at present.''
Ross Turner, 41, has been named as the head of the ICC's development programme. He has been the New South Wales Cricket Association's development manager for the past nine years. His brief is to develop the game in the five regions of the world where it is already played as well as expanding its profile in other countries.
ENGLAND (from): -*A J Stewart, N V Knight, A D Brown, M A Atherton, G A Hick, N Hussain, A J Hollioake, R D B Croft, I D Austin, D Gough, P J Martin, A D Mullally, A R C Fraser, A F Giles.
SRI LANKA (from): *A Ranatunga, S T Jayasuriya, -R S Kaluwitharana, M Atapattu, P A de Silva, H P Tillekeratne, D P M Jayawardene, U C Hathurusinghe, H D P Dharmasena, S A Perera, G P Wickremasinghe, M Muralitharan, M Villavarayen, U Chandana.
Umpires: D Constant and D Shepherd (Third umpire: C Balderstone).