By Ben Kunicki BBC Sport Online

Most people involved in English first-class cricket agree that the introduction of central contracts for Test players has been a progressive development.

Yet whereas contracts have helped create a greater team spirit and professionalism around the England squad, there remains concern surrounding medical matters.

Andrew Flintoff's struggles with his hernia problem are a case in point, with the all-rounder ruled out of the next two Tests against Australia.

Flintoff out

Writing recently for the Sunday Telegraph, former England captain Mike Atherton highlighted a lack of communication over the team's medical arrangements.

He suggested Flintoff was left to his own devices for a crucial part of his rehabilitation.

Former England physio Wayne Morton, now returned to Yorkshire, agrees that this lack of direction has caused problems for England which are now coming home to roost.

"In my time we [the ECB] didn't have the same autonomy so there were many incidents where club and country came into conflict," he said.

Morton is a former England physio

"It's something they had to strive to get rid of under central contracts but it clearly needs to be looked at again.

"There's a lack of communication which means that they're still having difficulties."

Morton confirmed that he had yet to hear anything about the current condition of Darren Gough following his return home from the Ashes tour.

And Surrey coach Keith Medlycott agrees with Morton that there have been problems between the counties and the ECB in the past.

"We all know that communication surrounding injuries has been difficult," he said.

"It has been a bit loose and needs tightening up."

Cricket has been slower than other sports in bringing in sports science

Keith Medlycott

Medlycott believes progress is on the way

With Gough ruled out for the whole series and Flintoff missing the lion's share, the ECB and the selectors have come under fire for taking a party including so many players under injury clouds.

"It's been happening since time immemorial that players undergoing various rehabilitation regimes would be taken on tour," said Morton.

"All you need are a couple of freak injuries like they've had and suddenly you're in trouble."

Medlycott, meanwhile, sympathises with the selectors' dilemma.

"Sometimes you have to take a calculated risk because you want the best players to play but if the luck goes against you then it's unfortunate," he said.

At the moment the ECB appear to be moving in the right direction to solve the problem and current events should provide a greater impetus.

However, Nasser Hussain and his men still have to bear the brunt of the indecision which has robbed him of his best players in the toughest arena of them all.