Jones suffers setback

29 May 2007

Simon Jones is out of action once again © Getty Images

England paceman Simon Jones is set to miss struggling Glamorgan’s LV County Championship Division Two encounter against Essex at Swansea after suffering a setback with his troublesome left knee.

Jones was due to be given a fitness test before the game to decide his involvement but instead had to visit a specialist in Loughborough today after the injury flared up again.

Fellow seam bowler Damien Wright is out of the match, having injured a thigh muscle during their Friends Provident Trophy defeat to Surrey at Cresselly, and faces a spell of two to four weeks on the sidelines.

But veteran spinner Robert Croft, who sustained a calf strain in the two-day, nine-wicket defeat to Middlesex last week at Swansea, is fit to return while 17-year-old seamer James Harris is also available following his AS-level exams.

Bottom of the table Glamorgan have also called up Michael O’Shea, Nicky Peng and Gareth Rees for their first championship appearances of the summer.

The home side will be hoping the Swansea pitch plays better than last week when they were docked eight points for preparing a poor wicket against Middlesex.

Essex have added Tony Palladino and Grant Flower to the side that faced Gloucestershire.

Captain Ronnie Irani returns to the County Championship side after missing the loss to Nottinghamshire with knee trouble.

Seamer Andrew McGarry is out with a hand injury - that requires surgery - and England batsman Alastair Cook has been rested but Ravi Bopara will feature.