Flintoff doubtful for one-day series

LONDON, England -- Andrew Flintoff is likely to miss England's one-day series against New Zealand because of his side strain.

National selector Geoff Miller will name the squad on Friday, ahead of one Twenty20 international and five one-day internationals against the tourists, starting at Old Trafford on June 13.

There were hopes that Flintoff might be fit for a recall, after being ruled out of the Test series following his injury, suffered when bowling against Durham on May 9.

But Flintoff, speaking at the launch of Lancashire's Twenty20 campaign at the Chill Factor in Manchester on Tuesday, explained that he was only halfway through a six-week recovery program.

"I've not got a fixed date yet on when I can play and I think I'll know more once I start doing more running and then get back into the cricket again," he said.

"These things have a history of taking six weeks and it will be three weeks on Thursday since I did it. I saw Geoff Miller and the coach Peter Moores last week and they're not going to rush me back."

A six-week layoff would keep Flintoff out until the final few matches of Lancashire's Twenty20 Cup qualifying group.

He would then be able to play in the championship match against Sussex at Hove before the opening Test against South Africa at Lord's starting on July 11, which could be his first Test appearance for 18 months.

"I'd love to be involved against South Africa, but I think I learned my lesson from last time, building up and trying to play against New Zealand and it didn't happen," he said.

"I'm going to see how it goes. I'm not going to build it up too much because I don't want to get disappointed again."

England will play four tests, five one-day internationals and a Twenty20 match on their tour of West Indies next year.

The England and Wales Cricket board said Tuesday that the squad will arrive in Barbados on January 21 to play two three-day warm-up matches before moving to Jamaica for the first test at Sabina Park on February 4.

The second test starts on February 13 in Antigua, followed by a two-day match in Barbados ahead of the third test at Kensington Oval starting February 26.

The fourth test starts March 6 in Port of Spain, Trinidad, which then hosts a one-day practice match and the Twenty20 international on March 15.

The one-day internationals are played in Guyana on March 20 and 22, Barbados on March 27 and 29 and a day-night match at St. Lucia on April 3.