Simon Jones snubbed by Glamorgan

Simon Jones has been dealt a double snub by club and country. After being overlooked for the second Test against West Indies at Edgbaston, Jones has been deemed surplus to requirements for Glamorgan's Championship match against Hampshire at Cardiff.

"We had a message from Duncan Fletcher last night," explained John Derrick, Glamorgan's coach, "saying that Simon was available to us. But the situation at the club is that there was no room for him in the side."

Jones was omitted from the Test side in favour of James Anderson, and now Glamorgan's seam combination of Michael Kasprowicz, Alex Wharf and David Harrison have left him kicking his heels for the week.

"We are playing on a used pitch which meant we played two spinners and three seamers," added Derrick. "Kasprowicz has come back after taking seven wickets in a Test for Australia, David Harrison is our leading wicket-taker and Alex Wharf has put in some good allround performances.

"So there was no room for Simon. You can only pick 11 players." Derrick added that there had been no pressure from above for Jones's inclusion. "David Graveney said it was our call. He told me: 'We need him to play but it's your club - I can't come down and demand he plays'."

"Simon Jones is fit for selection for Glamorgan," confirmed Graveney, England's chairman of selectors. "It was up to them whether they picked him or not. We don't put pressure on counties about who to play. We are not in the business of arm-twisting."

Nevertheless, if Jones is to figure in England's plans for the third Test at Old Trafford, he will almost certainly have to play in Glamorgan's next match against Somerset. "The only way Simon is going to get back in the Test team is by playing," admitted Derrick. "We will have to monitor the situation after this match and talk about it."