Hoggard a doubt for Test as Love breaks thumb

England's injury worries deepened with the news that Matthew Hoggard is extremely doubtful for next week's second Test against Zimbabwe after he damaged the cartilage in his right knee during Yorkshire's C&G Trophy defeat against Worcestershire.

Hoggard, who impressed during the first Test at Lord's, lasted just three balls. With the first he dismissed Graeme Hick, but he twisted his knee two balls later and limped out of the match. He will undergo scans on Thursday before any decision is made on his participation in next week's match.

"The position is that the knee is sore," Hoggard told the Press Association. "I jarred it. I tried to carry on initially but I couldn't run it off and this has been a very frustrating year for me so far. I had a dodgy winter, bowled reasonably well against Derbyshire, got injured against Northants. I came back from my stomach injury and the first time I went jogging I twisted my ankle.

"Everything is coming in threes and fours for me in terms of injuries. Things are getting on top of me at the moment. I just hope I can get over this knee thing as quickly as possible and get back to playing some cricket."

Hoggard was not the only Test cricketer in the wars. Durham's overseas batsman, Martin Love, has been ruled out for the next three weeks with a broken thumb. Love injured his right thumb while fielding during Durham's heavy defeat by Lancashire. He was taken from the field and went to Washington to have the thumb x-rayed. "Martin has been diagnosed with a crack to the end of his right thumb," said Durham's physio Nigel Kent. "That will probably keep him out of action for three weeks."