Gareth Barry set to be cleared for place in England's World Cup 2010 squad

Gareth Barry is set to be named in Fabio Capello's 23-man England squad for the World Cup after undergoing a series of strenuous fitness tests with the England medical team this morning in London. Initial indications were that the Manchester City midfielder, who damaged ankle ligaments in his club side's defeat to Tottenham Hotspur on 5 May, had come through those tests encouragingly under the watchful eyes of Dr Ian Beasley, the England team doctor, and the national team's head physiotherapist Gary Lewin. A scan suggested the damage is healing well, with the medical staff due to report back to Capello ahead of the formal announcement of the traveling party this afternoon. Barry has been jogging on a treadmill as part of his rehabilitation but needed to prove to England that he would be able to play some part in light training by the end of the week at the national team's base in South Africa. Capello had initially hoped to reintegrate him into full sessions some 24 hours after England's opening group game against the United States in Rustenburg on 12 June. The suggestions so far today are that he remains on course and could yet be involved in the later group games against either Algeria or Slovenia.