Giles reflects on his misfortune

"At first I thought it was just bruising and kept on batting and completed my net. But afterwards the pain just got worse and worse."

All-rounder Flintoff, meanwhile, will not be ready for Test cricket until the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne at the earliest following his summer hernia operation.

The injury to Giles has left the selectors with a number of dilemmas ahead of the game in Adelaide.

Yorkshire's Richard Dawson is the only other spinner in the tour squad, but his Test experience is limited to three appearances on helpful pitches in India last winter.

And they also have to decide whether to opt for seven specialist batsmen, including in-form Robert Key, or keep faith with all-rounder Craig White in a more balanced line-up.

England were hoping that Flintoff would be fit enough to face Australia in the second Test.

But he was less than impressive in England's drawn match with Australia A in Hobart this week, claiming nought for 62 from 10 overs and scoring only 16 runs in two innings.

"Our general opinion is that Andrew is not fit enough to play a Test match," said skipper Nasser Hussain.

Flintoff will remain in Adelaide to work on his fitness with the one-day specialists, who are due to arrive in Australia next week.

It is hoped he will be able to play in the start of the triangular one-day series at the beginning of next month.

Australia, meanwhile, will make a final fitness check on fast bowler Jason Gillespie during Wednesday's practice session.

He has not experienced any further problems with a sore calf muscle which affected him during the first Test and bowled two spells in the nets on Tuesday.

"He felt good, he was very happy with it and we were very happy with him. We'll have to wait now to see how he pitches up tomorrow," said team physio Errol Alcott.