Flintoff on road to recovery after treatment

England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff is set to return to action next week after successful treatment on the back injury that forced him out of the second Cornhill Test match at Lord's.

The 22 year-old Lancastrian had an anti-inflammatory injection on his back yesterday and could be back playing for Lancashire in their NatWest Trophy match against Essex at Old Trafford on Wednesday.

An aggravation of the injury will rule him out of the forthcoming NatWest Series, the triangular tournament between England, West Indies and Zimbabwe starting on Thursday July 6th but providing he comes through the match without a recurrence of the problem, Flintoff should be back in the England squad.