Butcher injury hits England's recall hopes

Mark Butcher's hopes of earning a quick Test recall look to have disappeared after he was ruled out of Surrey's county championship match against Worcestershire at The Oval today.

Butcher is still nursing a thigh injury and chairman of selectors David Graveney made it clear last week he must prove his fitness in match conditions before getting back into the England side.

The left-hander is now hoping to make a comeback in the Twenty20 finals day at Edgbaston on Saturday. However, even if successful, that is unlikely to put him ahead of Robert Key in the pegging order when the team for the Third Test against the West Indies is announced 24 hours later.

A quick slog and a few overs in the field are not going to convince the selectors that Butcher is ready for five-day cricket starting next Thursday.

Surrey, in serious relegation trouble with only one championship win this summer, have included former England fast bowler Alex Tudor in their squad to face Worcestershire today. Should he play it will be his first championship match in almost a year after a back injury. Ali Brown will make a return after recovering from a hamstring strain.

Kent are waiting for fitness tests on Martin Saggers and Amjad Khan before they name their squad to take on Sussex at Canterbury.

Glenn McGrath is unavailable for selection as Middlesex prepare to face Gloucestershire at Lord's. Part of the condition for the Australia pace bowler joining Middlesex was that he only play in certain fixtures and the Australia Cricket Board have requested he be rested.

Essex have England star Darren Gough back to face Hampshire in Division Two.