Butcher to face tough winter test
Mark Butcher faces a winter fight for his Test place following another injury setback.
Butcher's hopes of figuring at any stage during England's series against West Indies now look slim with even the Surrey left-hander admitting: "I've given up trying to project when I'm going to be back."
When Butcher failed a late fintess check on his thigh injury before Saturday's Twenty20 Finals day, England immediately crossed him off their list for this week's Third Test at Old Trafford.
With the final Test against the West Indies at The Oval following on immediately, Rob Key - Butcher's replacement during this summer's second series - may now have two more matches to underline his worth.
Both players should make the winter Test tour of South Africa. But a good performance from Key could put him ahead of Butcher in the pecking order.
England are taking two spinners to Old Trafford with Gareth Batty and Ashley Giles. But it is five years and 35 Tests since they last included a pair of specialist slow bowlers on home soil - Phil Tufnell and Peter Such playing in the Manchester draw with New Zealand.
Squad: M Trescothick, A Strauss, R Key, M Vaughan (Capt), G Thorpe, A Flintoff, G Jones, A Giles, M Hoggard, S Jones, S Harmison, J Anderson, G Batty.
