Tudor Optimistic Over Fitness Battle

The Surrey seamer was ruled out of the opening Test victory at Lord's with shin splints sustained during the NatWest Series final defeat by India.

He made his return this week with a seven-over spell against Essex, and is hopeful of making the starting line-up for the rain-affected Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy semi-final against Yorkshire at Headingley.

Whether that is enough to persuade England he is fit enough to withstand a Test is open to question.

Nasser Hussain insists that before England look at recalling any player from injury they must first prove their fitness in a first-class match - and Surrey's next championship outing starts on the same day as the Test.

That just makes Tudor's latest injury setback all the more frustrating, coming just a month after he seemed to have established himself in the England line-up.

"I was very frustrated to miss out on the Test match," Tudor said.

"I wanted to use this Test towards establishing myself in the England team.

"I was lucky enough to get the man-of-the-match award in the previous Test at Old Trafford and got drafted into the one-day squad and I wanted to be part of the first Test against India at Lord's.

"It was disappointing I wasn't able to do that, but hopefully the injury has cleared up now and if things go well maybe I'll get in for the next Test."

Between now and the selectors' expected announcement of the Test squad, Tudor has the chance to impress against a strong Yorkshire line-up providing the weather halts in Leeds.

Today's scheduled match was called off shortly after 10am with umpires Barry Dudleston and John Hampshire ruling that the outfield was saturated from the overnight rain.