Flintoff to see specialist over ankle injury

London, Sep 4 (UNI) Talismanic England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff's availiblity for the remaining two NatWest Series one-dayers against India remained in doubt as he visited a specialist consultant to treat the troublesome left ankle today.

England Chairman of Selectors David Graveney though said the Lancashire player was not yet been ruled out of either the remaining two ODIs against India or even the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa starting September 11.

Graveney said, ''He is seeing the surgeon who performed his third ankle operation and we will go on from there.

''He's not ruled out of tomorrow, but at the same time, he is not definite to go to the Twenty20, because we have to wait for that medical opinion tomorrow.'' The hero of the fourth ODI, Ravi Bopara, though did not have to face the same catch22 situation like flintoff as he is definitely going to sit out the rest of the series and will be missing in action in the Twenty20 World Cup.

Graveney admitted that Bopara may not be able to make it to Twenty20 championship but may be available for the one-dayers in Sri Lanka.

''It's desperately disappointing for him to miss out on a trip to South Africa. He's definitely out of Twenty20,but there are possibilities he will be available for the one-dayers in Sri Lanka.

''Four to six weeks is the medical prediction which falls around about the one-day tournament,'' he reasoned.

''It's an injury to his bowling hand, bottom hand batting-wise.

But, let's not be pessimistic; let's hope it recovers quickly,'' he added.

UNI