Harris flies home with knee problem

Ben Hilfenhaus is set for an immediate return to Test cricket after Ryan Harris became the latest Australian fast bowler to be struck down with injury. Harris has flown home from England after hurting his right knee during the one-day series against England, leaving the way clear for Hilfenhaus to play the first Test against Pakistan at Lord's next week.

Australia's pace group has experienced a revolving-door period over the past year; Harris only won his Test opportunity in New Zealand because Hilfenhaus and Peter Siddle were both sidelined. Hilfenhaus has now recovered from his knee tendonitis and with Mitchell Johnson and Doug Bollinger both in the Test side, it looked like being a battle between Harris and Hilfenhaus for the third spot.

Although one decision has been made for the selectors, they must still work out who to call up to bolster the squad's bowling depth. Clint McKay and Josh Hazlewood are both still in England after the one-day series and could be added to the Test outfit, while Peter George should be firmly in the mix after strong first-class performances for Australia A over the past couple of weeks.

Any temptation to rush Shaun Tait into the Test squad following his excellent one-day series would be premature and potentially damaging to his future prospects, given that he hasn't played a first-class game since 2008. Siddle remains in the early stages of his comeback from back stress fractures and is not in contention.

Regardless of who gets the call-up, Australia's attack in the first Test is likely to be Johnson, Bollinger, Hilfenhaus and Steven Smith, with Shane Watson as backup. Johnson feels fit and ready to fire after a short lay-off due to an elbow infection and he said while the latest injury was disappointing for Harris, Australia had displayed impressive depth in their bowling stocks recently.

"Losing a player, another player can come back in like Ben Hilfenhaus," Johnson said in Birmingham, where the team is preparing for Monday's Twenty20 against Pakistan. "Josh Hazlewood had a crack this one-day series and it just shows the depth we have in Australian cricket.

"We've got a good bunch that have been able to rotate in and out of the side, whether it's an injury or not, they've been able to rotate very well. Maybe it's taken one game to gel back as a group again, but looking for the future we have a pretty good squad at the moment.

"There's always been talk about the McGrath-Warne era. I think we've really started to make a stamp on how we perform as a group. We're not trying to go out there and be those guys, we're just trying to do the best we can and play good cricket for Australia and win games. We don't look to be intimidated by those big names before us. We've just got to go out there and make a name for ourselves and I think we're doing a really good job at the moment."

Harris has been one of the most impressive performers in the attack since his call-up during the one-day series against Pakistan in January, having taken 40 wickets in 16 ODIs since then. He was Australia's leading wicket taker during the ODI series against England, when he claimed ten victims at 17.10 despite missing the second game with a groin strain, and it is now unclear how long he will be sidelined.

"Ryan Harris injured his right knee during the fifth one-day international against England," Australia's team physio Alex Kountouris said. "He will take no further part in the Twenty20 or Test matches against Pakistan in England and will return to Australia for further assessment."

The selectors will discuss his replacement in the squad in the coming days. Australia play two Twenty20s in Birmingham on Monday and Tuesday before heading to Derby for a two-day game to help them prepare for the first Test.