England Fret After Sending Flintoff for a Scan
Cricket: Andrew Flintoff may miss England's first Test against West Indies after being flown to Jamaica for a scan on his sore left side
An anxious England tour party are expecting to learn about the fitness of Andrew Flintoff at lunchtime tomorrow. Flintoff flew to Jamaica this morning for a scan on his left side and the results were sent to the team's chief medical officer, Nick Peirce, in England, who will then consult a radiologist for further analysis.
England's fear is that Flintoff will have to miss the first Test against West Indies, which begins in Jamaica a week today. But Owais Shah, who became the second player to be ruled out of the three-day warm-up match against a St Kitts Invitational XI when he went to hospital yesterday complaining of blurred vision in his left eye, is likely to be available.
Shah received a minor scratch there, possibly from a grain of sand or perhaps while scoring his century here yesterday, but is expected to be fit for the next game, against West Indies A, here on Thursday. He appeared tonight wearing dark glasses to conceal the patch over his eye.
"I don't know how I did it," he said. "The doctor said it could have been anything. I walked out of my room this morning and my vision was blurred. But I should be OK tomorrow. I've got to see the doctor again in the morning. I was worried about my eyesight going at first but the physio said you can't lose your eyesight overnight."
Last night England received permission to replace Flintoff with Stuart Broad in this match. Graeme Swann came on for Shah today and, when Tim Ambrose replaced Steve Harmison, who had briefly left the field, 14 England players had appeared in the game. At that stage the pre-match comment from the new captain, Andrew Strauss, that he had had enough of 13 and 14-a-side practice matches and from now on was going for 11-a-side, was recalled with a wry smile.
Flintoff, who was ruled out of this match on last night, today took a direct flight to Jamaica because the scanning facilities required did not exist on St Kitts. He felt a soreness and stiffness in his left side while bowling in the nets on Saturday, the eve of the match. The problem had not improved when he went in to bat and he was dismissed for just 11 after striking a huge six over long-on.
Flintoff has been England's best and most dependable bowler for a number of years and his situation is causing some concern, particularly as he was out of the side for seven weeks with a similar injury last year. Ryan Sidebottom, who is not playing in this match, also looked stiff when he had a gentle workout yesterday afternoon. The selection of Ian Bell, meanwhile, ahead of Shah in the batting order would suggest that the selectors had already decided to keep him at No3 for next week's opening Test.
If that is the case even Shah's impressive century (against Bell's 36) would probably not be enough to force him into the team. Shah made his Test debut in India three years ago, when he scored a sparkling 88 in Mumbai, but since then has appeared in just one other match, at Lord's in May 2007, when he failed in both innings.
He has traipsed around the world like a mascot since then, partaking in England's last three tours of Sri Lanka, New Zealand and India without featuring in a Test. "I would love to get the chance to play again before the Test match," he said. "I'm not that frustrated any more. Maybe 12 months ago I was. I thought I had a good chance in New Zealand last year when I played well in the practice games but I've gone past that stage now. I'm quite happy about life."
England's fear is that Flintoff will have to miss the first Test against West Indies, which begins in Jamaica a week today. But Owais Shah, who became the second player to be ruled out of the three-day warm-up match against a St Kitts Invitational XI when he went to hospital yesterday complaining of blurred vision in his left eye, is likely to be available.
Shah received a minor scratch there, possibly from a grain of sand or perhaps while scoring his century here yesterday, but is expected to be fit for the next game, against West Indies A, here on Thursday. He appeared tonight wearing dark glasses to conceal the patch over his eye.
"I don't know how I did it," he said. "The doctor said it could have been anything. I walked out of my room this morning and my vision was blurred. But I should be OK tomorrow. I've got to see the doctor again in the morning. I was worried about my eyesight going at first but the physio said you can't lose your eyesight overnight."
Last night England received permission to replace Flintoff with Stuart Broad in this match. Graeme Swann came on for Shah today and, when Tim Ambrose replaced Steve Harmison, who had briefly left the field, 14 England players had appeared in the game. At that stage the pre-match comment from the new captain, Andrew Strauss, that he had had enough of 13 and 14-a-side practice matches and from now on was going for 11-a-side, was recalled with a wry smile.
Flintoff, who was ruled out of this match on last night, today took a direct flight to Jamaica because the scanning facilities required did not exist on St Kitts. He felt a soreness and stiffness in his left side while bowling in the nets on Saturday, the eve of the match. The problem had not improved when he went in to bat and he was dismissed for just 11 after striking a huge six over long-on.
Flintoff has been England's best and most dependable bowler for a number of years and his situation is causing some concern, particularly as he was out of the side for seven weeks with a similar injury last year. Ryan Sidebottom, who is not playing in this match, also looked stiff when he had a gentle workout yesterday afternoon. The selection of Ian Bell, meanwhile, ahead of Shah in the batting order would suggest that the selectors had already decided to keep him at No3 for next week's opening Test.
If that is the case even Shah's impressive century (against Bell's 36) would probably not be enough to force him into the team. Shah made his Test debut in India three years ago, when he scored a sparkling 88 in Mumbai, but since then has appeared in just one other match, at Lord's in May 2007, when he failed in both innings.
He has traipsed around the world like a mascot since then, partaking in England's last three tours of Sri Lanka, New Zealand and India without featuring in a Test. "I would love to get the chance to play again before the Test match," he said. "I'm not that frustrated any more. Maybe 12 months ago I was. I thought I had a good chance in New Zealand last year when I played well in the practice games but I've gone past that stage now. I'm quite happy about life."
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