Cricket: Jones Unlucky Again

At the age of 26 Simon Jones has already built a career on an abnormally strong shoulder action, a natural talent for reverse-swing and an unerring ability to pick up an injury at the wrong moment.

Yet even by his standards the bone spur on his right foot, which the England management yesterday confirmed had ruled him out of tomorrow's all-singing, all-dancing fifth Ashes Test at The Oval, is a cruel piece of timing. "It is a sickening blow," admitted Jones after failing a fitness test at Lord's. And his mind must have wandered back to the ghosts of ailments past.

His injury-prone tendencies began almost as soon as he pulled on an England sweater. After collecting four wickets on his Test debut against India at Lord's in 2002 he picked up a side strain that ruled him out until that winter's Ashes. But on the first day of the series at Brisbane he tore cruciate ligaments in his right knee while attempting a sliding stop in the outfield. He was taken off the field on a stretcher and ruled out of Test cricket for a year and five months.

He then missed the last two matches of New Zealand's visit last summer to ward off a potential stress fracture of the foot and spent the next few months struggling to convince the selectors he should be ahead of James Anderson in the seam-bowler's queue. In the time he has played 18 Tests he has missed 25. The 26th will be the most unbearable of the lot.

"I'm gutted really," said Jones. "I've been working hard on this and I've done everything I could have done to get fit. I just needed more time. I've had a few injuries in my career and you have to realise that these things happen.

"This has been the best series I've ever played in, playing against the best team in the world. I can't see how any other series can measure up to this, except maybe when we play them again."

Jones has been advised to rest for two weeks while he undergoes further treatment to his anterior impingement but Peter Gregory, the England and Wales Cricket Board's chief medical officer, said yesterday that an operation could not be ruled out.

"Surgery is an option," he said, "but the advice we have received from two leading specialists in the field is that the injury may still settle without recourse to an operation. No decision will be made on Simon's availability for the tour of Pakistan until we have had an opportunity to assess how the injury responds to a period of rest."

"There was no chance," said Jones. "But you have to get over the disappointment. You have to just get on with the job and I'll have a chat with the medical staff and see what I can do in the next few weeks to get over this ankle injury.

"I'm going to go home and chill a little bit and then I will come back to be with the boys. It's not very nice watching but sometimes you have to do that to support the boys."

It is a brave face but one which is presumably hiding a wealth of worries. Simon's father, Jeff, played 15 Tests for England in the mid-1960s before a shoulder injury and arthritis in an elbow joint ended his career when he was 26, the age Simon is now.

Jones Jr has never quite escaped the implicit comparisons with the fate of Jones Sr or the whispers of physical frailty that accompany his bone-jarringly vigorous action. The cry of "Get up, you weak Pommie bastard" that emanated from the Brisbane stands as he was carried off in tears must have been doubly hurtful.

But, as Jones frets about the medium term, England's concerns are more immediate. "It's a big blow because he's been such a big performer throughout this series," said Marcus Trescothick yesterday. "Of course it's a setback because the last few weeks is the best I've seen him bowl. He's a major player in the team and we don't want to be without him. But we have to move on."

The reverential tones in which Trescothick spoke under- lined the extent to which Jones has quickly become the spark that ignites this England attack. As recently as the tour of South Africa, where he bowled only 123 overs in four Tests and was replaced by Anderson for the victory at Johannesburg, Jones lacked the full trust of Michael Vaughan, despite taking 15 wickets at under 27.

This summer he has won his captain's trust and more. His 18 wickets at 21 apiece have included 11 different Australians and he has proved particularly adept at dealing with their troublesome tail. Just as importantly he has tended to strike at the beginning of a spell. He has developed the priceless knack of making things happen.

"Nobody's impossible to replace," said Trescothick, "but he's bowled particularly well, so he's going to leave a bit of a hole, definitely. He's a unique member of the team: very skiddy, quick pace and his reverse swing is as good as anyone in the world at the moment."

Jones will accept the plaudits but they will be of little consolation. He is approaching the peak of his powers and will now have to watch as his team-mates and friends take part in the most nerve-racking game of their lives. Professional sport can rarely have been as heart-breaking.

· A sore point and what may lie ahead

Simon Jones has an anterior impingement of the right ankle. What is it?

An anterior impingement is the pinching of tissues at the front of the ankle. Persistent irritation along the front edge of the ankle can cause impingement. Ankle ligaments are pinched between the tibia and talus as the foot is bent upwards.

Who tends to suffer from it?

Athletes who repeatedly bend their ankle upwards - known as dorsiflexion. These may include footballers, basketball players and dancers. The condition is less well known in fast bowlers but might have become more common because of changed advice from bowling coaches encouraging a more front-on, rather than side-on, foot position at the crease. Ironically this advice has been introduced primarily to prevent the onset of stress fractures in the back.

Can another injury aggravate the problem?

An ankle sprain can aggravate it. When the ligament heals, excessive scar tissue may be formed. This mass of tissue - called a meniscoid lesion - can become trapped between the two bones.

And what are bone spurs?

In Jones's case, as in many others, ankle damage has caused the formation of "bone spurs". These are small projections of bone that form on the bottom surface of the tibia or on the upper surface of the talus. The bone spurs can jab into the soft tissues at the front of the ankle joint, causing symptoms of anterior impingement.

Is pain the only problem?

Pain, which often can be addressed in the short term by cortisone injections, may be just part of the problem. The ankle can also feel weak, leading to a fear that it will give way. The fear of his ankle collapsing could also have been a psychological problem for Jones, especially considering his history of serious injury.

Andrew Flintoff had an operation for bone spurs. How does Simon Jones's injury differ?

Flintoff had posterior bone spurs - on the back of his left ankle. These are most common in ballet dancers, who must rise continually on their toes. These, too, can be worsened by an ankle sprain.

How do doctors and physios diagnose anterior impingement?

The diagnosis from Kirk Russell, England's physio, will initially have been made by checking ankle movement. An x-ray can reveal bone spurs. A bone scan may follow, especially where surgery is considered.

What non-surgical treatment can be given?

1. Rest for up to four weeks - something for which Jones did not have time.

2. A special walking boot or short leg cast. Jones left Trent Bridge in such a walking boot.

3. Painkillers, anti-inflammatory medicine, steroid injections.

4. Ice treatment.

5. Exercise such as exercise bikes and swimming.

6. Oxygen tents to assist healing.

7. Heel supports in shoes and boots.

Will it all end in surgery?

It might. That depends on the exact cause of the ankle impingement. Jones would most likely face "débridement" to clear away any lesions or damaged tissue and remove bone spurs. This is often carried out with an arthroscope. England would face Jones's absence for the autumn tour to Pakistan. Rehabilitation can take anything from six weeks to six months depending on the seriousness of the condition. He will receive treatment over the next fortnight and the injury will be reassessed by the England and Wales Cricket Board's medical team on a regular basis.

David Hopps