NEWCASTLE. Australia. Nov 10: Vice-captain Alec Stewart Is still confident of playing in the first Test against Australia in Brisbane despite uilmg himself out of England's latest first class match, against New South Wales starting'on Saturday, reports Reuter.

Stewart fractured his right index finger batting in a prac-u< e match in Perth on October 24 and has yet to playon tour

And his decision to aft out the.match in Newcastle to ensure his finger is completely healed means he will have Just one match — against an Australian XI in Hobart, starting on November 18 — to prove his form and fitness before the first Test, which begins a week later.

But, after flying in from Canberra with the squad on Thursday. Stewart said: "I've got no fear that I'm cutting it fine and it s never entered my head that I won t be playing in the first Test.

The finger is still a little sore but it will only be three weeks on Monday since I suffered the injury, and it takes anything between two and four weeks for most fractures to heal

Come Monday. I'll be looking to resume nets, and then it s up jo me to make sure I have enough practice, whether ii is out In the middle in Hobart or in the nets, to mean I m in contention for the . Test.'

Stewart s original hope was to play against South Australia in Adelaide, then, when he misseft out on that match, he looked to play against the Prime Ministers XI in Canberra.

That proved impossible too, but Stewart has accepted that It would be pointless trying to rush back before the injury has healed.