Flintoff in fitness battle

Andrew Flintoff's left ankle is still causing him some trouble

England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff has had a setback in his bid to get fit for the third npower Test after having his comeback re-scheduled.

Flintoff, 29, was due to play a one-day match and a LV County Championship game for Lancashire this week but England's medical staff have recommended he concentrates solely on the four-day fixture against Sussex, which begins at Hove on Wednesday.

England wanted him to play either on Sunday against Scotland or Monday versus Leicestershire and step up his workload later this week.

Even if a precautionary measure, his non-participation in either puts further scrutiny on the state of Flintoff's left ankle, which has so far sidelined him from England duty this summer.

Confirmation that Flintoff would not be on duty at Grace Road on Monday came shortly after England coach Peter Moores spelt out expectations ahead of the third Test against West Indies at Old Trafford on June 7.

"We would have liked him to have played in one of those two one-day games," Moores said.

"We said to Lancashire we wanted him to play one out of the two - we were not bothered whether it was the Sunday or the Monday - but we didn't want him to play both and the four-day game because that would be six out of seven days.

Flintoff and England are being guided by medical staff opinion

"We have to be guided by the medical staff but from a cricket point of view we would like Andrew to be able to play in the game against Sussex at Hove and be able to bat and bowl a little bit so we can see where he is at.

"I think Freddie would probably like the same thing too."

Flintoff appeared on course to be fit for this current Test - play was washed out completely at Headingley on Sunday - when he bowled four overs at decent tilt in the nets in the build-up, only to pull out hours later.

Now he will test the latest injury to the joint, twice operated on in the past couple of years, on the south coast.

"It has to be controlled a lot by pain, whether there is any or not, and what he can get through," Moores added.

Yorkshire's Matthew Hoggard is also a doubt for Manchester, having strained a groin in the drawn Test at Lord's.

"He bowled two days ago, on Saturday his groin was sore as was expected but what that probably says is that it is a little bit worse than they thought," said Moores.

Hoggard will attempt to bowl again in the nets later this week, with the squad announced next weekend.

Ryan Sidebottom was selected after a long break of six years

Without their two most potent new-ball operators England turned to Ryan Sidebottom, who festered for six years as a one-Test wonder.

The left-arm seamer's half a dozen victims during Saturday on his former Headingley patch have given England an excellent chance of opening up a 1-0 series lead despite the horrendous weather forecast.

West Indies will resume on Monday, rain permitting, on 22 for two having followed on 424 runs adrift.

"It's great when somebody comes in and does really well early on but for Ryan it is really special to do it on a ground where he learned his cricket," Moores said.

"It is quite a fillip for county cricket as well that he has put us in this position.

"He has good skill with the ball and takes it both ways. He offered us a good control bowler, he's been good for two or three years and the opportunity came because we had an injury.

"He's done very well so far, there is a bit of the game to go but let's give him the credit for showing the ability to move up a level.

"It was a bonus it was at a ground he knew but he was picked because he has a very good record over a decent length of time."

Sidebottom appears certain to be at Old Trafford now, where Allan Donald will begin a five-week trial as a bowling coach under Kevin Shine.