LONDON, Aug 6: England paceman Simon Jones' hopes of making the Ashes series in Australia are slim according to an English cricket spokesman.

Jones, who took 20 wickets in the thrilling 2-1 Ashes series win last year, had said following knee surgery in June that he was optimistic of being fit for the start of the first Test in Brisbane on Nov 23.

However a spokesman for the English Cricket Board told the Mail on Sunday that there was no hope of that happening.

“If everything goes to plan there is a slim chance he could be fit for the final two Tests (held over Christmas and New Year),” he said.

Jones would be desperately short of match practice in any case as he has not played for a year, after suffering bone spurs in his ankle then twisting his left knee in February.

As long ago as March, England team doctor Peter Gregory rated Jones’ participation in the Ashes as “extremely unlikely”.

England have numerous injury problems with captain Michael Vaughan struggling with a persistent right knee injury but it is in the bowling department that they have been hardest hit.—AFP