Tremlett named as Broad's replacement

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	Stuart Broad will be flying home after picking up a side strain © Getty Images Enlarge
Related Links Players/Officials: Stuart Broad | Chris Tremlett Series/Tournaments: ICC Cricket World Cup Teams: England

Stuart Broad has been ruled out of the remainder of the World Cup with a side strain he picked up during the close win over South Africa two days ago. Chris Tremlett, who has been travelling with the squad as back-up, has been confirmed as his replacement after ICC approval.

Tremlett replaced Broad in the Ashes side after he succumbed to an abdominal tear during the Adelaide Test and great success, finishing with 17 wicket at 23.35 from three Tests. He then played four games of England's 6-1 defeat in the ODIs that followed but was not as effective and leaked 5.24 runs an over.

It took England a day of deliberation to settle upon Tremlett as their replacement. There is a school of thought that England could have wanted to keep him on as back-up for Tim Bresnan, who is coming back from a calf injury, and instead pick legspinner Adil Rashid - who is in the Caribbean with the England Lions at present - in the main squad. As it turned out, they went for the safer option.

Broad is the second setback England have suffered since their thrilling and inspiring defence of 171 against South Africa in Chennai on Sunday. They travelled to Chittagong without Kevin Pietersen, who had to end his tournament after that game to go back home for his hernia operation.

Broad has also travelled home for further assessment in the UK which will determine his recovery and rehabilitation timescale. He is due to appear for Kings XI Punjab in the IPL which starts in April but that will now depend on the assessment of the ECB's medical staff.

Nick Peirce, ECB chief medical officer, confirmed that the injury is separate to the abdominal tear that ruled him out of three Ashes Tests earlier this winter. "Stuart felt some discomfort following the South Africa match and our initial assessment indicated a strain to his left side," said Peirce.

"Subsequent scans have confirmed a significant side strain injury - where the muscle attaches the rib - that will rule him out of the remainder of the World Cup. This is a new injury, separate from the abdominal tear suffered during the Ashes, that requires a period of recuperation and rehabilitation and the duration of this recovery period will be determined following further assessment in the UK."

With Eoin Morgan's return to the squad providing a silver lining to the Pietersen injury, Broad's loss could prove to be more significant. He played a crucial part in England's morale-boosting defence of 171 against South Africa, taking two top-order wickets and also the last two, with South Africa needing just eight when he started the 48th over.

The injury was picked up during that game, after Broad had lost almost 5kg following a stomach bug that laid him low ahead of the India match. He said that he could feel the injury during his second spell, but the adrenalin got him through. "I felt a little tight during the South Africa game," he said. "It started to throb a little bit throughout my second spell. It stiffened up after the game.

"It's quite a common injury within bowlers," he said. "If the injury is a natural side strain or tear, it's something you have to be very careful of, and make sure you take your time to get fit again, and not rush back."

England have played four close matches in the tournament so far. With two win, a tie and a defeat, they are one win short of ensuring a place in the knockouts. They face Bangladesh on Friday before going back to Chennai to face West Indies on March 17.