Question of When, Not If, for Flintoff Bone Operation

When Andrew Flintoff walked out to bat yesterday afternoon a primeval roar echoed round Lord's - and that was before he bashed 58 from 42 balls. The public recognise a national treasure when they see one, but concerns are growing that this gem is in danger of being robbed of its lustre.

On the eve of the Lord's Test, the chief medical officer of the England and Wales Cricket Board, Peter Gregory, insisted that Flintoff would not be fit to bowl until this week's second Test at Edgbaston because of a small bony spur on his left foot. Cortisone injections, he added, "are not without risk".

Two days and several injections later, a press release revealed that he was fit to bowl immediately. Flintoff being Flintoff, he soon found himself on a hat-trick on Saturday afternoon before shrugging off suggestions that he faced an impending operation. His natural ebullience is one of the many appealing things about him, but at the moment not everyone shares it.

The former England and Lancashire coach David Lloyd yesterday called for Flintoff to undergo immediate surgery. "England have done him no favours at all," he fulminated. "If anything happens to Freddie because of this policy, I won't be the only one who's angry."

A worrying precedent already exists within the sport. Glenn McGrath, the Australian seamer, recently played his first Test for almost a year after recovering from an identical injury. The spur he suffered from was, like Flintoff's, small at first before developing to the extent that it required an operation. England might not be concerned at the moment, but the speed with which their policy changed between Wednesday and Friday does not inspire confidence.

The desire to keep Flintoff in the public eye at a time of the year when cricket does not have to worry about football is understandable, especially when he bats with the sort of unfettered violence he showed yesterday. But more important assignments lie ahead: in December England begin a five-Test series in South Africa, and next summer the visitors are Australia. The worry is that their prime asset might end up being sacrificed as England take on less prestigious challenges.

In the meantime, the selectors have other injury concerns to deal with before they name their squad this morning for Thursday's second Test. Simon Jones is struggling after being hit on the big toe of his left foot by Pedro Collins on Friday afternoon, while Mark Butcher was described by a Surrey spokesman as "doubtful" after aggravating a thigh injury while lifting a box at home.

Butcher missed this game after suffering whiplash injuries when he was hit by another driver in Brixton a week ago, and admitted to feeling "gutted" after watching his replacement Robert Key hit 221 in the first innings.

He was all set to make his comeback during Surrey's Totesport League game against Warwickshire at Guildford yesterday. So to suffer a recurrence of the thigh injury which had originally threatened to keep him out of the first Test before the car accident is the cruellest blow, and he is now in danger of missing tomorrow's one-day match against Northamptonshire at The Oval. If that happens, he will struggle to convince the selectors that he is ready for a Test match.

No one would admit it, of course, but Butcher's absence would resolve the one potential dilemma confronting the selectors ahead of Edgbaston: whether or not to drop a man who has just hit a double-century. At the moment, it seems the decision has been taken out of their hands.

Jones is another matter. The big toe on his left foot swelled up badly, and he was unable to bowl at full pace in the West Indies' first innings as a result. He took the field for the second innings yesterday but did not bowl, and there must be concern that his appalling run of luck is set to continue.