Injured Pietersen sidelined

Hampshire's hopes of combating Lancashire's Andrew Flintoff with their own England star Kevin Pietersen have been dashed by injury.

Pietersen has been withdrawn from the side to face Lancashire in the LV County Championship at the Rose Bowl tomorrow with a calf strain suffered against Ireland in the Friends Provident Trophy yesterday.

The world's top-ranked one-day batsman had hit a match-winning 66 in his first county match for a year but England do not want him risked further ahead of the first Test against West Indies.

Pietersen's omission robs an all-star county game of one of its biggest names and adds to England's concerns with captain Michael Vaughan already nursing a broken finger.

Lancashire will still be bolstered by appearances from all-rounder Flintoff and England seamers Sajid Mahmood and James Anderson.

Another World Cup player, Australia batsman Brad Hodge, is also due to play against Shane Warne's Hampshire side.

Yorkshire recall former captain Craig White to face Worcestershire at Headingley with Vaughan unable to play. Vaughan was injured at Hampshire last week and is highly doubtful for the first Test later this month.

Worcestershire will field Scotland's Dewald Nel after signing the paceman on a 10-day contract as cover for injuries. Doug Bollinger (side and hip strain), Matt Mason (shoulder) and Nadeem Malik (shin) are all sidelined.

The likely candidate to replace Vaughan, Andrew Strauss, will play for Middlesex at Nottinghamshire in Division Two. Notts are unchanged.

Another England batsman, Ian Bell, will play his first championship match of the season as leaders Warwickshire visit Surrey in Division One.