Injury worries for Slater and Hayden

Australia's opening batsmen Matthew Hayden and Michael Slater both have injury worries ahead of Thursday's Second Test against England at Lord's.

Neither player batted for the tourists on the third day of the Vodafone Challenge match against Somerset at Taunton today.

Slater is nursing a wrist injury sustained while batting against Somerset guest player Shoaib Akhtar on Friday. However, both are said to be confident that they will be fit enough to play in the Lord's Test.

In a net session on the Taunton pitch this morning he batted one-handed with a strapping protecting his left wrist.

Meanwhile, Hayden felt his right knee lock while fielding against Somerset yesterday and is not expected to bat or field in the remainder of the game.

The pair opened the batting against England in the First Test at Edgbaston and put on 98 for the first wicket with Slater, in particular, looking in excellent form with a quickfire 77.

In the first innings of the game against Somerset, Hayden managed only six runs and Slater 28. This morning Justin Langer and Simon Katich opened the batting for the Australians.