ENGLAND BACK BROAD IN RACE TO BE FIT FOR LORD’S

ENGLAND remain hopeful Stuart Broad will be fit for the first Test against South Africa evene though he was yesterday ruled out of next week’s pinkball Championship experiment. The heel injury that forced Broad to limp out of Notts’ victory over Leicestershire has caused consternation among specialists who were yesterday still mulling over two scans. Yet even though Broad will miss the day-night game against Kent next week and probably the Royal London One-Day Cup final against Surrey on July 1, England believe he could feature at Lord’s on July 6 in the first of

four Tests. They will make a late decision on the fitness of a bowler who will be integral to England’s attack in the seven Tests they face this summer against South Africa and West Indies and the Ashes. It remains a worry for England, who will be without Chris Woakes and have Jimmy Anderson and Ben Stokes returning from injuries. Broad has had to manage pain in his left heel for some time and his initial reaction was that the latest problem was only minor one. A second scan, however, revealed a concern.