He was included in England's 13-man squad for the opening Test at Lord's, which begins on Thursday, but was always rated as "a major doubt" and has failed to respond to treatment.

Flintoff suffered the injury while scoring a century against Middlesex at Lord's last week when he was hit on the right shoulder and was forced to miss Lancashire's drawn Championship match against Essex earlier this week.

His withdrawal increases the possibility of Yorkshire captain Anthony McGrath, one of three uncapped players called into the squad, making his debut and is a further blow to an already inexperienced attack.

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