Cricket: New Injury Rules Jones Out of Test Series

Simon Jones received a further setback to his international future yesterday when it was revealed that a fresh injury to his left knee will sideline him for a minimum of six weeks. He will miss the forthcoming Test series against Sri Lanka and the one-day series that follows.

Jones had suffered discomfort in the knee during Glamorgan's C&G trophy match against Ireland five days ago, and had a scan on Thursday. According to the ECB's medical officer Peter Gregory, specialist advice suggests this injury is not related to the one sustained in the nets in Nagpur which caused him to miss the series in India and led to keyhole surgery. "The view of the specialist is that Simon has sustained a new injury to his knee which has damaged the cartilage surface of the joint," Gregory said yesterday. "He will be required to rest for six weeks and will then be reassessed. If he does not respond to rest he may need to undergo further surgery." That would represent his third operation in nine months, having also had surgery on his right ankle after last summer's Ashes series, the final Test of which he also missed.

Jones's 18 Test career, spanning four years, has been a heady blend of brilliance - his reverse swing at high pace was a key component in England's Ashes success - and breakdown, the most serious of which was a badly damaged cruciate ligament in his right knee sustained in the field on the last tour of Australia. He has not played for England since the decisive fourth Test at Trent Bridge last August. This injury is the latest to add to a list that already has Michael Vaughan still at the rehabilitation stage with his long-standing knee injury, Steve Harmison recovering slowly from a shin condition (he at least is back in practice), Ashley Giles from hip, first, and then hernia surgery, and James Anderson out for up to two months with a stress fracture of his lower back.

For selectors, who over the past year have been used to a settled squad of players, tomorrow's process of choosing their side for next week's first Test becomes a cerebral operation with places up for grabs in the top order and in the attack. Of the top six, Andrew Strauss, Marcus Trescothick, Kevin Pietersen, and Andrew Flintoff (to be confirmed as captain) need no discussion, while Paul Collingwood, although operating on the very limit of his resource, made a case for himself in India. Unless England move Trescothick to the middle order to accommodate Alastair Cook, something to be considered but not on the immediate horizon, it leaves Ian Bell, Owais Shah and Cook vying to go in first wicket down.

Bell progressed in Pakistan although diffidence coupled with a frailty around off stump, where he tends to hang around inside the line, is a concern. With the threat of Muttiah Muralitharan in mind, Shah plays spin well and Cook's debut century told its tale of his temperament and technique. Cook will surely have a long and successful career but it would be a surprise if it was not Bell who moved back to No3.

Of the pace bowlers, Liam Plunkett seems certain to join Matthew Hoggard and Flintoff, augmented, probably by Sajid Mahmood, who was withdrawn from the England A match against Sri Lanka. The caveat is the performance of Jon Lewis in that match, a bowler clearly in form who is ideal for Lord's in the early summer. The selectors, however, must balance immediate need with planning for the future.

Spin at Lord's, especially in early May, has generally been superfluous for England, and with rain forecast in the run-up to the match, could be so again with Collingwood and perhaps Pietersen offering the pace men respite and an extra batsman included. But as a contingency Monty Panesar, a genuinely class act, should be in the squad rather than the worthy Shaun Udal.

Possible squad Flintoff(capt), Strauss, Trescothick, Bell, Pietersen, Collingwood, Shah, G Jones (wkt), Plunkett, Hoggard, Mahmood, Lewis, Panesar.

The injury list

Simon Jones

Injured left knee on May 1. Has not played for England since August

Prognosis: Minimum six weeks' rest, possible surgery

James Anderson

Stress fracture of lower back and has not played this season

Prognosis: Minimum six weeks' rest

Michael Vaughan

Recovering from December surgery on right knee, has batted in the nets

Prognosis: May make surprise return for second Test against Sri Lanka

Steve Harmison

Suffered bone stress to his shin in India, has not played this season

Prognosis: Should make second Test

Ashley Giles

Recovering from hip surgery in December and hernia operation

Prognosis: Could return for first Test against Pakistan in mid-July