| Player: | A Flower |
| Event: | England in South Africa 2009/10 |
DateLine: 17th November 2009
England are just two weeks into their two-and-a-half-month tour and have already had several problems to key players ahead of the five-match one-day series and four Test matches.
After Sunday's heavy 84-run loss in their Twenty20 international against the Proteas which meant the series was tied at 1-1, there was more bad news with fast bowler James Anderson ruled out of Tuesday's match against South Africa A. England's leading paceman has a knee problem and joins Paul Collingwood (back), Stuart Broad (shoulder) and Graeme Swann (intercostal muscle) on the sidelines for the 50-over encounter in Potchefstroom.
Confirming the news, coach Flower said: "We've had it quite a lot, being such an early part of a tour.
"We reckon they aren't going to be medium-term injuries. We're hopeful they'll clear up by Friday.
"Swann will be out of tomorrow's game and so will Anderson, he's got a little problem with his knee. He played with it yesterday but he wasn't 100% fit.
"Broad's had a number of injections in the past few days and we are waiting to see the reaction to those injections, to see whether it settles."
Collingwood, another of the regular one-day bowlers, had to be withdrawn from Sunday's game only hours before the start and is also extremely doubtful with a recurrence of long-standing lower back discomfort.
Flower added: "Unless it loosens up a lot today I don't think he will play in tomorrow's game either."
The one piece of good news for England was the return of Graham Onions from a back problem and Flower confirmed that the Durham bowler will get his first run on tour tomorrow.
The biggest concern at the moment, though, has to be the injury to Broad, who has been missing since jarring his shoulder fielding in a practice match 11 days ago. The possibility remains of an additional bowler being called into the squad, with early indications that Liam Plunkett, due on tour for the Test series, could be summoned early.
