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Bad weather threatens to play a spoilsport in the third Ashes Test at Edgbaston starting Thursday.

The weather forecast in Birmingham for the day before the clash is for heavy showers with chances of showers on the opening day.

England lead the series 1-0 after their 115-run win in the last week's Lord's Test.

The weather bureau is predicting heavy showers on the second day and there is a 40 per cent and 30 per cent chance of rain on the final two days respectively.

Members of the Edgbaston ground staff have already been working overtime to dry up the soggy outfield that is heavy underfoot following the wet weather of the past fortnight.

Groundsman Steve Rouse has said he is up against it getting the Edgbaston deck ready and has advised Australia not to play specialist spinner Nathan Hauritz.

The mercury is not tipped to hit 20 degrees Celsius over the coming week.

Motorsport's ruling body, the FIA, reacted with disappointment Wednesday to the news that German carmaker BMW is pulling out of the sport at the end of the 2009 season, blaming the global recession for the decision.

'It has been clear for some time that motor sport cannot ignore the world economic crisis. Car manufacturers cannot be expected to continue to pour large sums of money into Formula One when their survival depends on redundancies, plant closures and the support of the taxpayer,' said the organization in a statement.

BMW chairman Norbert Reithofer announced the news of the company's withdrawal from the sport earlier Wednesday at a press conference at the carmaker's headquarters in Munich.

'The board decided yesterday that we would change our involvement in motorsport. The BMW group will end its involvement with Formula One at the end of the 2009 season,' said Reithofer in the company of BMW-Sauber team principal Mario Theissen.

'Obviously, this decision was a difficult one for us.'

According to the Bild Zeitung newspaper, Japanese carmaker Toyota is also considering pulling out of the sport while Honda withdrew at the end of last year.

FIA has argued that it is addressing the problems and pointed to the new cost-cutting measures introduced this season as well as the Concorde Agreement set to be signed later this week.

'These measures were needed to alleviate the pressure on manufacturers following Honda's withdrawal but also to make it possible for new teams to enter,' it said.

'Had these regulations not been so strongly opposed by a number of team principals, the withdrawal of BMW and further such announcements in the future might have been avoided.'

After losing the three-match test series, Pakistan is still looking for the first win of its Sri Lanka tour as the teams prepare for a five-match one-day international series that starts Thursday.

Sri Lanka remains wary of the tourists who have enjoyed more success at the shorter version of the game.

"We just need to forget everything and move forward. The team knows that we didn't play to our potential and that itself is good enough motivation for us," Pakistan captain Younis Khan told reporters on the eve of the first match at Rangiri Dambulla Stadium.

His counterpart, Kumar Sangakkara, is hoping his team will not be complacent after the 2-0 test series win.

"We may have won the test series, but we have new players coming into the side and we need to get back the momentum and regroup soon to come on top," Sangakkara said.

"I feel they play the shorter form of the game better. They can be a temperamental side, but at the same time, (they are) a very tough team in ODI cricket."

Pakistan has been boosted by the return of several players who were involved in the Indian Cricket League. Participation in the unsanctioned league meant that they were banned from international cricket, but they are now allowed to play for their country after breaking ties with the league.

Opener Imran Nazir and fast bowler Rana Naved return to the squad while Mohammad Yousuf and Abdul Razzaq have been part of the test squad after pulling out of the league.

"My hands are open and I have welcomed them. When they joined the ICL, it was a massive blow for Pakistani cricket. Now that they are back I am extremely pleased," Younis said.

With the pitch in Dambulla expected to suit seam bowlers Sri Lanka boosted its seam attack by drafting in Dilhara Fernando. The Sri Lanka squad now features six fast bowlers.

The hosts are buoyed by the return of off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, the highest wicket taker in the game.

The 37-year-old missed the test series with a knee injury. Lasith Malinga, who was rested for the tests, also returns to the side.

Sri Lanka has lost its last four one-day series at home.

"Looking at the bigger picture, we are trying to build a stronger team leading up to the World Cup and we have tried a few new players," Sangakkara said.

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Squads:

Sri Lanka: Kumar Sangakkara (captain), Muttiah Muralitharan, Sanath Jayasuriya, Mahela Jayawardene, Thilan Samaraweera, Chamara Kapugedera, Anjelo Mathews, Nuwan Kulasekera, Lasith Malinga, Ajantha Mendis, Thilina Kandamby, Malinga Bandara, Thilan Thushara, Isuru Udana, Dilhara Fernando and Upul Tharanga.

Pakistan: Younis Khan (captain), Abdul Razzaq, Fawad Alam, Rao Iftikhar, Imran Nazir, Kamran Akmal, Misbah-ul-Haq, Mohammad Aamer, Mohammad Yousuf, Nasir Jamshed, Rana Naved, Saeed Ajmal, Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Malik, Umar Akmal and Umar Gul.

Australian vice-captain Michael Clarke says England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff will end his career as a loser.

Clarke said that Australia, trailing 0-1 in the series, will come back hard to beat England and win the Ashes.

'We play our best cricket when the chips are down. I hope Andrew is fit and ready to go. I hope he can finish the series: he certainly deserves that. Unfortunately I think he will be finishing as a loser when we win the series!' Clarke was quoted as saying by the Daily Telegraph.

Asked if Flintoff will be fully fit, Clarke said: 'Why wouldn't you? Andrew is always up for the big contest and he seems to perform under pressure. No doubt he will be ready for Thursday to give us a bit more stick.'

Clarke went on to add that the Australian players know they have let themselves down in the first two Tests and now want to atone for it in the third Test starting at Edgbaston Thursday.

'We may be 1-0 down, but we know where we let ourselves down in the last two Tests, and where we need to improve. I'm certain that if we play our best cricket we'll win this Test match,' he said.

The Australian batsman also backed out-of-form bowler Mitchell Johnson and hoped that the left-armer will outshine Flintoff as the dominant performer in this series.

'Look back a couple of months, and Mitchell bowled outstandingly well against South Africa, both home and away,' said the ever-positive Clarke.

'He has done a fantastic job for us since Brett Lee has been out injured, and he bowled with good pace in the nets today,' he said.