Andrew Flintoff looks likely to miss the remainder of the Test-match series against New Zealand as his side strain is not expected to have healed in time for him to prove his fitness for Lancashire before the third Test. Having injured his left side bowling for his county against Durham last Friday, Flintoff was ruled out of only the first two Tests in the hope that he would return in the championship match against Yorkshire, beginning on May 30. But Lancashire do not now expect him to feature in that game, which represented a last chance to prove his fitness before the final Test against New Zealand starts at Trent Bridge on June 5.

Asked whether Flintoff would play against Yorkshire, Mike Watkinson, the Lancashire cricket manager, said: “I don’t think so. We’ll maybe look at the game afterwards [against Nottinghamshire at Old Trafford from June 6-9]. That’s a possibility. We’re looking at two or three weeks to get through the recovery then maybe a week to get back to match fitness. That’s the type of timescale we’re looking at.”

Peter Moores, the head coach, has confirmed this week that Flintoff, if fit, would have been included in England’s squad for the first two Tests. Now the earliest that the all-rounder is likely to return to national colours is the Twenty20 international at Old Trafford on June 13. A five-match one-day international series follows, starting at Chester-le-Street on June 15.

Against Durham last week, Flintoff left the field in discomfort after bowling five overs in the second innings, which Watkinson suggested could have prevented an aggravated injury. “Our [medical] guys should be complimented, they’ve caught what could have been a potentially serious injury, looking at two or three months out of playing,” he said. “They’ve nipped it in the bud and hopefully two or three good weeks of rest will sort it out. With the way he’s bowling, as soon as he’s back bowling again it’ll be good for us and good for England because he was certainly on top form.”