England stars withdrawn from county duty

England's selectors have withdrawn five of their Test specialists from county duty until May 3, as they plan ahead for next month's first Test against New Zealand. Neither Graham Thorpe nor Mark Butcher will be available for Surrey's Championship fixture against Northants at The Oval on Wednesday, while Matthew Hoggard, Nasser Hussain and Simon Jones have also been told to rest.

It is a particularly bitter blow for Surrey, who have lost two of their three matches this season, and narrowly avoided defeat against Sussex in the opening round of Championship matches. But Jon Batty, their new captain, was phlegmatic about the news: "We have always had to deal with England players being away," he said. "It is a bonus when we find they can play."

Hussain, meanwhile, misses Essex's match against Somerset, while Hoggard sits out of Yorkshire's trip to Nottinghamshire. The only side that is unlikely to feel the absence of its Test players is Glamorgan, who take on Cardiff UCCE in a three-day match.

The other Test player who is not still in the Caribbean is the wicketkeeper Geraint Jones, who impressed in the final Test in Antigua. He does not have a central contract with the ECB, and was free to play for Kent against Worcestershire last week.

Central contracts
James Anderson (Lancs), Mark Butcher (Surrey), Paul Collingwood (Durham), Andrew Flintoff (Lancs), Ashley Giles (Warks), Steve Harmison (Durham), Matthew Hoggard (Yorks), Nasser Hussain (Essex), Simon Jones (Glam), Graham Thorpe (Surrey), Michael Vaughan (Yorks), Marcus Trescothick (Somerset)