Test Plans in Turmoil As Injuries Pile Up

In the aftermath of defeat in the NatWest Series final at Lord's on Saturday, Duncan Fletcher sought consolation in England's sense of well-being as the Test series loomed into view. Marcus Trescothick was bang in form, established as one of the world's most destructive batsmen, and there was the prospect of Darren Gough and Andrew Caddick in harness with the new ball.

Sri Lanka had already been comfortably beaten. There was no reason to question whether England, if not quite of the highest quality, at least a more stable and professional England, had the capacity to overcome India as well.

Four days later, with the four-Test series only a week away, the reality is far more disconcerting. Trescothick is expected to miss the rest of the season after fracturing his thumb while fielding for Somerset yesterday, and Caddick's intercostal injury will take at least another fortnight to heal.

Even Gough must survive a strenuous fitness examination in the Roses match, which begins at Headingley tomorrow, before England judge whether his twice-repaired knee, still sore, and requiring regular monitoring from his specialist, is robust enough to survive the rigours of a five-day Test.

For Fletcher, England's coach, the captain Nasser Hussain and the chairman of selectors David Graveney, it brought an unwelcome air of desperation to yesterday's selection discussions.

As well as coming to terms with the loss of Trescothick and Caddick, they had to ascertain the fitness of Mark Butcher (physical) and Graham Thorpe (physical and mental), and then judge whether a few days' rest was all that was needed before they joined a depleted squad at Lord's next Tuesday.

Fletcher's constant assessment of players' individual rest and fitness requirements has ushered in a more stable era. The need for plans and strategies has been central to his approach, so much so that after Thorpe's retirement from one-day cricket at the end of the NatWest Series, he mystifyingly responded to talk of player burnout by explaining that "there is no point having a plan without a strategy."

But the best-laid plans, strategic plans or even planned strategies can be undermined by sheer bad luck. Cricket balls break fingers and it is just unfortunate that Trescothick happened to get in the way of one.

Trescothick's injury brought immediate rumblings that England players should be removed entirely from county cricket. That is sheer nonsense. India were engaged in a tour match against West Indies A yesterday that could have resulted in any of their side being injured. England players have been injured playing tennis, knocking-up, sneezing, shaving and getting out of bed. Derek Pringle was once injured while writing a letter, but no one insisted that he should have the services of a full-time secretary.

It is entirely apt that England players grace the final stages of domestic cup competitions. It is correct to reduce international players' involvement in the county game to acceptable levels, but it would do immense damage to England's first-class structure if they were withdrawn entirely.

Trescothick's absence is a considerable blow but England can console themselves that Michael Vaughan and Mark Butcher provide a satisfactory solution. It is in a restructured middle order where problems will present themselves.

England played only four bowlers at Lord's in the first Test against Sri Lanka, but they are likely to play five at this stage of the summer. Nasser Hussain's right to bat at No3 in Tests is established enough to make snarls at the TV commentators unnecessary, and Thorpe's one-day retirement should not preclude him from batting at No4.

That leaves a vacancy at five and if John Crawley was favoured in May, then he should be favoured now. Crawley has done nothing wrong, and still averages 68 in first-class cricket for Hampshire.

Ian Bell was prematurely labelled at the start of the season as England's next world-class batsman, which brought an immediate loss of form. He has repaired that to some degree, and played a mature eye-catching innings in the Benson & Hedges Cup final for Warwickshire.

His first-class average this season is only 26, but if England intend to take him to Australia, it would surely be best to learn more about him over the next six weeks.

The alternative, not for the first time, is Mark Ramprakash. He is county cricket's form player, has 817 first-class runs at 74.27, and his desire remains undiluted. The general assumption that his England career is over has yet to take hold in his mind. The Australians rate him highly, but have England found him lacking once too often?

England (possible): N Hussain (capt), M P Vaughan, M A Butcher, G P Thorpe, J P Crawley, I R Bell or M R Ramprakash, A J Stewart, A Flintoff, A F Giles, A J Tudor, M J Hoggard, D Gough, S P Jones, D G Cork.