New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming added to his side's growing list of injuries ahead of the second Test here at Headingley when officials revealed on Wednesday he was suffering from an ear infection.
"He's developed an ear infection but we are hopeful he'll be fit for for tomorrow," tour manager Lindsay Crocker told reporters at Headingley ahead of the start of Thursday's match.
"It's part and parcel of it," added coach John Bracewell after Fleming failed to appear at a news conference. "We are confident he'll be right."
New Zealand, who need a victory to square the three-match series at 1-1 after a seven-wicket defeat at Lord's, were already faced with injuries to two senior players.
Top order batsman Craig McMillan rebroke the little finger of his left-hand during the tourists' final warm-up match against Leicestershire and pace-bowling all-rounder Jacob Oram suffered a side strain in the same game.
McMillan has since had an injection while Oram will be unable to bowl even if he is passed fit to bat.
Mathew (sic) Sinclair, who scored a double century on his Test debut, has been taken out of English league cricket at Cleethorpes and is on standby although Michael Papps, an original selection for the tour, is also available.
{{/usCountry}}Mathew (sic) Sinclair, who scored a double century on his Test debut, has been taken out of English league cricket at Cleethorpes and is on standby although Michael Papps, an original selection for the tour, is also available.
{{/usCountry}}Kyle Mills, who took three for 51 against Leicestershire, could come in but Bracewell played down his chances of appearing which would leave a straight choice between McMillan and Oram at six.
Fast bowler Shane Bond, who missed the first Test at Lord's, is still ruled out as he recovers from a stress fracture of the back.
England captain Michael Vaughan's wife is due to give berth to their first child during the Test match.
But Bracewell refused to confirm if New Zealand would allow England a substitute fielder if Vaughan left the ground to witness the pregnancy.
"We have already spoken to the ECB about it and they will be able to give you an answer," was former New Zealand off-spinner Bracewell's only comment on the issue.
However, officials confirmed that New Zealand would allow Vaughan a susbtitute but otherwise the normal rules would apply.
That meant if Vaughan did leave the field he could not bat until the innings had been in progress for the same length of time as his absence or, if he came back earlier, he could not bat until England had lot five wickets.