Injury-jinxed Yorkshire paceman Paul Hutchison has had his fitness programme interrupted by a hernia operation.

But the left-arm swing bowler, who spent last Friday in hospital, is hoping to be back in the gym by as early as next week in a determined bid to get into peak condition for the start of next season.

This latest setback, however, has robbed Hutchison of the chance of going on a three-week MCC tour of Bangladesh in January with Yorkshire team-mates Anthony McGrath, Matthew Wood and Ryan Sidebottom who have all accepted invitations to be part of the squad which has yet to be officially announced.

Hutchison, who has made a remarkable start to his Yorkshire career with 120 first class wickets in only 29 games, had his England ambitions put on hold last summer when he managed only three county matches because of continuing back problems which earlier in the year had cut short his England A tour of Zimbabwe and South Africa.

The 22-year-old resumed gym training recently and was hoping to try out his revised run-up until the hernia problem intervened.

"Almost as soon as I started training again I began to feel pain in the groin and I decided to have the operation as soon as possible in order to get everything done and dusted," said Hutchison.

"I did feel one or two twinges in the few matches I played last season but with all the problems concerning my back I did not want to mention it. I just hoped they would go away but they didn't.

"Now I have to work hard at getting fully fit and winning back my place as soon as possible because I cannot take anything for granted. I may have had a successful start to my career but that counts for nothing with so many keen and talented young fast bowlers around.

"So my main priority now is to gain selection for Yorkshire's pre-season tour of Australia in March and to try to do well enough to get back into the side when the new season starts."

Yorkshire have appointed their former seam bowler Arnie Sidebottom, 45, as club coach following Doug Padgett's retirement. Sidebottom, whose son Ryan is on the county staff, had been Yorkshire's Academy coach since 1988.

Meanwhile, Yorkshire's Martyn Moxon, coach of the England 'A team saw his tourists beat Central Districts by 95 runs in Palmerston North, New Zealand.

England 'A' needed only 27.2 overs on the final day to wrap up the win as Central Districts were skittled for 112 in their second innings, Nottinghamshire seamer Paul Franks taking 5 for 26.

England are not expected to name their side to face South Africa in the second Test, which starts on Thursday at Port Elizabeth, until tomorrow.

England want to check on the fitness of Alan Mullally and Yorkshire's Chris Silverwood before selecting their side.

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