Thorpe boosts England as selectors mull captaincy

Bill Barclay

England batsman Graham Thorpe is to see a specialist on Thursday optimistic that he is finally getting over the calf injury which has dogged him for six weeks.

Thorpe, who is hoping to be fit for the second Ashes Test against Australia which starts on July 19, was badly missed by England in their crushing defeat in the first Test at Edgbaston by an innings and 118 runs.

"The anti-inflammatory medication I'm taking seems to be working and the calf is feeling a lot freer than before," Thorpe said in his personal column on the Channel Four website.

"I will be seeing a specialist on Thursday and then I'll know what my chances are of playing in the next Test.

"As things stand now, I know the problem has improved over the past few days - and that's the first time that has happened since I suffered the injury last month.

"The past six weeks have been doing my head in and I'm desperate to get back out there playing again. Every morning I wake up hoping the injury will feel better and finally that is starting to happen."

Thorpe is also a possible candidate for the England captaincy in the absence of Nasser Hussain, who has been ruled out for three weeks with a broken finger.

But having played so little cricket the selectors are unlikely to land the Surrey left-hander, who has captained England before, with the added burden of leading the team in the second test at Lord's.

Former captain Mike Atherton, 33, and fellow opener Marcus Trescothick, an ex-England Under-19 captain, are the leading candidates, according to chairman of selectors David Graveney.

So far, only fast bowler Darren Gough has said he would like to lead the side at Lord's. Wicketkeeper and former captain Alec Stewart has ruled himself out of the running.

A spokesman for the England and Wales Cricket Board said on Wednesday a decision on the captaincy was not imminent but was expected later in the week.

The appointment could well be for more than one test because Hussain, whose little finger was broken by a ball from Jason Gillespie on Sunday, is not certain to be fit for the third test starting on August 2.

The 25-year-old Trescothick, who has made a big impression in his 12 tests so far, has been recommended for the job by former England coach David Lloyd and the Somerset batsman believes he is ready for another step up.

"I am pretty sure I could handle the pressure," Trescothick told BBC radio. "But until such time as someone wants to talk about the situation with me, I'll just concentrate on my batting."

Mail Cricket Editor