Harmison ruled out

With Harmison out of the equation, Richard Johnson is certain to play while Ashley Giles and Gareth Batty will expect to keep their places.

Giles, the most experienced member of the attack, is supposed to be a key weapon throughout the first half of this winter and was picked with the idea of playing in all three Tests against Sri Lanka as well as these two in Bangladesh.

Trouble is, in tinkering with his technique in an attempt to become a more potent force, the left-armer has taken a step backwards.

Rookie off-spinner Batty, on the other hand, bowled beyond expectations during this trip's two warm-up games and outperformed Giles during the First Test, albeit only by two wickets to one. "You are only ever one innings away from being back to your best and that's how Ashley has to look at it," said Vaughan "He's one performance away from getting a five-for.

"As captain you just try to pick your best XI and come up with the best formula to get 20 wickets on that pitch."

England are keeping the length of their stay in Chittagong to a minimum for the understandable reason that training facilities are better in Dhaka.

That, inevitably, will lead to suggestions they have come to this port city in the wrong frame of mind.

They appear fully focused, though, and their captain insisted: "We will be fine. In this part of the world if you want excuses there will always be one there for you."