Re: Pakistan in England 2006
Hoggard injury scare for England
The England selectors are waiting for a report on Matthew Hoggard after he needed two stitches in his right hand.
Team-mate Tim Bresnan trod on Hoggard’s hand during an exercise session on the third morning of the England A match against Pakistan at Canterbury.
He was cut on the palm below his thumb and taken to to hospital for treatment.
Hoggard later returned to the ground with his hand bandaged and is not expected to bowl during the remainder of the game.
England take on Pakistan in the first Test of a four-match series at Lord’s on Thursday and losing Hoggard would be a major blow.
He passed 200 Test wickets during the recent series against Sri Lanka and is currently fifth in the LG ICC Test bowler rankings, with only Muttiah Muralitharan, Makhaya Ntini, Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath ahead of him. England’s seam bowling options for Lord’s are already limited because of injuries to Andrew Flintoff (ankle), Simon Jones (knee) and James Anderson (back).