Simon Jones will take no further part in the Ashes, after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament in a freak fielding accident shortly after lunch on the opening day of the first Test at the Gabba. Jones slid in an attempt to prevent a four but his left foot appeared to stick in the turf, causing his right knee to contort in a grotesquely unnatural direction. It was immediately clear that the damage was serious as Jones was left writhing in agony, and there was a lengthy delay before he was carried off the field on a stretcher.

He was treated for almost three-quarters of an hour by England's medical team before being transferred to hospital for scans on his knee. They revealed the full extent of the damage.

Jones will need reconstructive surgery followed by a lengthy rehabilitation. Ideally the operation would happen as soon as possible, but it was announced that he would wait until his return to the UK before undergoing surgery. "He will be out for a minimum six months and won't be able to fly home for two weeks to enable the swelling to subside," said spokesman Andrew Walpole. "He will go to the English Academy in Adelaide to help in his recovery before he leaves for home."

With Darren Gough's participation in the series already in doubt after his failure to recover from his long-standing knee injury, and with Andrew Flintoff and Steve Harmison also struggling for fitness, England will have to draft in another replacement less than a week after calling up Alex Tudor as cover.

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