Flintoff: concern for Thursday

Andrew Flintoff, the England allrounder who missed the NatWest Series match against Zimbabwe over the weekend and the Second Test Match against West Indies with back problems, is still a problem for the forthcoming return limited-overs match against Zimbabwe at Manchester on Thursday.

Duncan Fletcher, the England coach, stated: "It's a major concern that comes and goes. The physio (Don Conway) is going to put a process in motion to find out just what is going on with it".

Flintoff's role is particularly important because he bats in the middle/lower-order whose vulnerability was a main cause of England's defeat by Zimbabwe at The Oval.