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Walking wounded cleared for Sharjah

The England cricket board has cleared Michael Atherton, Graham Thorpe, Neil Fairbrother and Ian Austin to play in the upcoming triseries in Sharjah in April.

The tournament also involves India and Pakistan.

The four players had question marks against their fitness, though all four had been named to the England squad of 15 for the World Cup.

The Sharjah tournament thus gives them a chance to wet their feet ahead of the premier competition. England in fact will go to Lahore on March 28, for some practise in conditions akin to those in Sharjah, before the competition.

Fitness consultant Dean Riddle, exercise physiologist Nigel Stockhill and physiotherapist Wayne Morton passed both Thorpe and Atherton after extensive tests.

Austin has meanwhile recovered from knee surgery, while Fairbrother is coming out of a hamstring injury suffered in Australia.

Chairman of the English selectors David Graveney said that it was good to get all four players on their feet and into the squad, and said all four would be asked to continue working on their overall fitness levels.

Agencies