If the England management thought that the injury situation couldn't get any worse then the last 24 hours proved them to be wild optimists. Firstly, Andrew Flintoff's protracted recovery from his hernia operation suffered a further setback when he was ruled out for the second and third Tests, and then Ashley Giles broke his wrist in the nets, sidelining him until the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne Test at the earliest. Giles, one of England's certain starters for the Adelaide Test, was hit on the wrist by Steve Harmison in the nets, and was sent for an X-ray when he complained of soreness later in the day. "It was the first ball I faced from Harmy and it struck me at the point of the left wrist," said Giles. "At first I thought it was just bruising and kept on batting and completed my net. But afterwards the pain just got worse and worse." Richard Dawson, the Yorkshire offspinner, is almost certain to be brought into the side as a replacement.

The news of Giles's break came hours after Flintoff had been told that he would again have to go back to the Academy to regain fitness. It was the latest setback in the sorry will-he, won't-he saga which has dogged the entire tour.

Flintoff had hoped to prove at Hobart over the weekend that he was ready to play, but he bowled at little more than three-quarter pace and looked all at sea with the bat. Despite bullish comments to the contrary from the England camp, Flintoff has not looked anything near being match-fit since he arrived in Australia.

Nasser Hussain, who rejoined the England party in Adelaide after spending the weekend with his wife, said that the news was disappointing. "Our general opinion is that Andrew is not fit enough to play a Test match," he admitted. "The management believe he's not done anything to prove his fitness for this Test and that is why he played in the Hobart match." Flintoff will remain in Adelaide to work on his fitness in the hope that he is ready to resume when the one-day series gets underway in December.

The selectors now face a straightforward decision: do they play Craig White or Robert Key? White gives the option of a fifth bowler, although his form with both bat and ball has been far from convincing, while Key is in outstanding form with the bat. Hussain agreed that picking Key would bring a player in excellent form into the side. "Against most sides I'd be tempted to do that," he said. "But we need to get 20 wickets against Australia, especially as out here it gets hot and the ball gets soft, and then you need variety in your attack."

There was some good news for England. John Crawley's bruised hip improved considerably overnight and he is certain to start the second Test. The hope is that England will be able to scrape together ten other fit men to go with him.

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