England were dealt a pre-Test blow last night after star all-rounder Andrew Flintoff was ruled out of the second match of the npower series against West Indies.

Despite appearing to have come through a short bowling session at Headingley, the 29-year-old's comeback from his latest ankle trouble has been postponed.

Flintoff missed the draw at Lord's last week after aggravating the joint but was named in the 13-man party which met up in Leeds.

Last summer Flintoff underwent surgery in a bid to cure the recurring problem, missing the entire Test and one-day series against Pakistan before returning for the gruelling winter campaign, including the Ashes and World Cup.

Signs appeared positive for tomorrow's contest when, after a handful of looseners on the edge of the square, he sent down the equivalent of four overs at close to full capacity in the nets.

But an England statement three hours later said Flintoff has been ruled out of the Test due to an ongoing ankle injury.

It continued: ''It was deemed that Andrew's ankle did not demonstrate sufficient improvement after his first bowling session today and in order to allow the ankle to rehabilitate effectively and continue to improve it was felt the best decision was to rule him out now without a further assessment tomorrow."

Without him at Lord's, England went in with a four-man attack, a gamble which was exposed when Matthew Hoggard injured a thigh during the first innings.

Hoggard's absence, meanwhile, may give his former Yorkshire colleague Ryan Sidebottom a chance to leave an unenviable band of England players.

Like his father, Arnie, who featured in the 1985 Ashes, Sidebottom junior is currently a one-Test wonder, having made his debut in the Lord's victory over Pakistan in 2001.

The 29-year-old will be vying with Liam Plunkett and James Anderson for a fast-bowling spot, reward for his 221 first-class victims at 25 apiece since that solitary Test six years ago.

Although he featured in one-day squads in the meantime, he did not get another look-in during Duncan Fletcher's time in charge.

''A lot of players have probably seen the regime change as a positive,'' said left-armer Sidebottom.

''I probably didn't perform to the best of my ability when I played that Test but I am a better bowler now.

''I've been a consistent performer and been opening the bowling in all forms of the game for Notts and reaping the rewards. The one-cap wonder thing does get mentioned a lot but it doesn't bother me.

''My dad and I still have a joke and a giggle about it and he said 'you'll probably out-do me now'. He's happy I'm back in and he's told me to give it my best."