MARK BUTCHER yesterday effectively ruled himself out of England’s first Test match of the summer. He said he was unlikely to have played enough cricket by the time the selectors came to pick the squad for the match against Bangladesh at Lord’s starting on May 26. Butcher has not played a match since damaging his left wrist in the gym in South Africa in December and undergoing surgery to re-attach ligament torn away from the bone.

“I’m going to be struggling to have played enough cricket by then,” he said. “The best thing is to make sure I’m back and firing in the lead-up to the Ashes and give the selectors a choice to make.”

Greg Mullings, Surrey’s physiotherapist, said: “He has started hitting soft balls but is still getting some pain. It is quite a common injury for golfers, where the recovery schedule is based on a 12-week period. What we have found with Mark is that it may end up being a little bit longer because in cricket you are hitting a heavy ball which is moving towards you, unlike in golf. We first earmarked early May for Mark to return, but at this point there’s quite a bit of improvement to go.”

Butcher wants to begin his return to playing in Surrey’s second XI on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, another England player who has been under the surgeon’s knife is due to return to action today. Andrew Flintoff is set to play for Lancashire in the totesport League at Lord’s.

If all goes well for Flintoff against Middlesex, he would play for his county in a championship match at Worcester on Wednesday, again purely as a batsman. England’s star allrounder underwent surgery on his left ankle 11 weeks ago and although he can apparently bat and field without discomfort, he has bowled in the nets only briefly off a short run.

The England management have been sufficiently encouraged by Flintoff’s progress that they have not yet ruled him out of playing as a batsman against Bangladesh.