ENGLAND all-rounder Craig White may consider retiring from the game following his latest breakdown at the weekend when he suffered another painful side injury while bowling for Yorkshire against Surrey at The Oval.

White did not visit his specialist yesterday as he had earlier intended but spent the day resting up at his Scarborough home instead.

He was due to see Yorkshire physiotherapist, Scott McAllister, today for a medical assessment, but White has been badly affected by this latest blow which follows a pre-season operation to remove two inches of bone from a lower rib.

"I will see if there is any improvement after a day's rest but at the moment things don't look too good and there is only so much you can take," said White.

"I have felt very sore around the ribs since I started bowling again but I had hoped that it would gradually wear off. When I bowled that bouncer to Mark Butcher, however, it was just as if someone had stabbed me in the side."

If White does decide to continue with his Yorkshire career he may have to consider playing solely as a batsman because bowling injuries are starting to take their toll.

There is no doubt that White is good enough to hold his place on his batting ability alone - as he demonstrated at Derby last week when he registered his 15th first-class century with a superb 173no.

White last appeared for England in their final World Cup game against Australia in Port Elizabeth in early March. He has played in 30 Test matches and 51 one-day internationals.

Also at The Oval on Sunday, Stephen Fleming tweaked a hamstring during his innings of 90 for Yorkshire, but a few days rest should see the New Zealand captain fully recovered for the Championship match against Durham at Riverside a week today.

Fleming was in any case not down to play for Yorkshire in their three-day game against India 'A' beginning at Headingley tomorrow (10.45am).

Opener Chris Taylor and left-hander Vic Craven are both included and Sheriff Hutton Bridge paceman Nick Thornicroft gets his first outing of the season. Richard Blakey will keep wicket and off-spinner Andy Gray continues to be preferred to England slow bowler Richard Dawson.

Director of cricket, Geoff Cope, said: "Gray has impressed everyone with his attitude and approach to the game and is pushing very hard. Dawson was used for the first six Championship matches but we now feel that Gray deserves a bit of a run."

Yorkshire (v India A): Wood, Taylor, Craven, Lumb, Yuvraj Singh, Blakey, Gray, Sidebottom, Thornicroft, Bresnan, Swanepoel.

Updated: 11:30 Tuesday, July 08, 2003