All-rounder Andrew Flintoff will have a scan on a side strain next week but is unlikely to feature in England's final two Tests against New Zealand.
Flintoff was injured while playing for Lancashire last week and faces at least two to three weeks on the sidelines.
Lancashire cricket manager Mike Watkinson told BBC Sport: "He's gone away and will have a scan next week.
"Our medical team has done a good job of pulling him out before a minor thing becomes more serious."
The 30-year-old, who underwent a fourth operation on his ankle last October, has not played for England since the 2006-07 Ashes series in Australia.
He had been in impressive form with the ball for Lancashire and would have returned to the squad for the first Test against the Black Caps at Lord's.
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He then developed the side strain problem playing against Durham the day before the squad was announced.
Watkinson added: "I don't want to be making predictions.
"Maybe Fred will be back against Nottinghamshire on 6 June, but it is early days. He is taking it easy this week.
"It is early doors for me to make any comment. He'll need re-scanning and re-assessing.
"I'm just looking at the timescale of two or three weeks' recovery and a week to get match fit and that's where it takes us."
Earlier this week, Flintoff admitted to having lingering doubts over his troublesome ankle injury.
"I would be lying if I said there wasn't a niggling bit of doubt in my mind," he told the Wisden Cricketer. "After four operations I think that is inevitable.
"I still feel my best years are in front of me. That's not just something I say in interviews, I definitely believe it."
Realistically, his best chance of a return to the England team would be for the first Test against South Africa on July 10.
That would mean England again having to cope without him for the one-day series against New Zealand.
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