Flower’s all clear!

England emerged from the anxieties of Chelmsford with a morale-boosting victory and, most importantly, a full complement of players fit for Ashes selection.

By The Newsroom

Published 5th Jul 2013, 09:58 BST

Coach Andy Flower, who revealed Stuart Broad has had a cortisone injection in the sore right shoulder which ruled him out of the 228-run win over Essex this week, could afford sighs of relief and a little satisfaction.

Especially after England’s medics feared lynchpin spinner Graeme Swann might have suffered a serious injury when he was hit on his bowling arm while batting against Tymal Mills.

Instead, Swann went on to demonstrate his well-being by taking five for 68.

Flower said: “There were great concerns about him. We thought he might have cracked his ulna.

“Luckily it wasn’t the case, but it was badly swollen. For a couple of hours, we thought he might have been missing from the start of the Ashes.”