Andrew Flintoff at nets in Birmingham on Wednesday. (Reuters)

Birmingham: England will try to reassert themselves when they take on Sri Lanka in the second Test at Edbgaston after letting the first Test slip through their fingers.

Nine dropped catches at Lord’s, allied to a gutsy batting display by the tourists in their second innings, saw England miss the opportunity to go 1-0 up in the best of three contest after their batsmen had piled up 551 for six declared.

No-one within the England camp has yet uttered the dread phrase ‘must-win game’ but a record of one win in their last eight Tests means a fresh success can’t come soon enough.

England are set to be led again by Andrew Flintoff, continuing to deputise as captain in place of Michael Vaughan who remains sidelined by a knee injury.

With Kevin Pietersen (158), Marcus Trescothick (106) and Alastair Cook (89), Vaughan’s replacement at No. 3, all making runs at Lord’s it wasn’t so much his runs as their skipper’s leadership skills that England missed most.

England have retained uncapped seamer Jon Lewis but dropped Ian Bell from their Lord’s squad of 13.

But Lewis’ wait for a first Test cap could go on if the selectors stick with the same side on a pitch that could offer more assistance to the spinners than was the case at Lord’s.

That would be good news for England left-armer Monty Panesar but even more so for Sri Lanka talisman Muttiah Muralidharan.

Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene led his side well with a battling hundred at Lord’s, where former skipper Sanath Jayasuriya joined the squad.

Jayasuriya, who didn’t play in that game, might be a candidate to replace the out-of-form Jehan Mubarak but Sri Lanka’s greatest concern appears to be the lack of effective support for senior quick bowler Chaminda Vaas.