Steven Finn is to join the England squad in Bangladesh as the tourists' injury worries started to mount yesterday. Finn, a 20-year-old Middlesex seamer, has been with the Lions in Dubai but has been drafted in as cover for the injured fast bowlers - Stuart Broad, Ryan Sidebottom and Graham Onions. Sidebottom is to fly home due to a thigh injury while Broad has been ruled out of today's third and final one-day international in Chittagong with a back problem.
Sidebottom will be replaced in the Test squad by the Yorkshire paceman, Tim Bresnan, who is in Bangladesh for the one-dayers. Broad sat out yesterday's training session with a back problem he sustained during his second over in Tuesday's series-clinching win but bowled four more before leaving the field for treatment. Ajmal Shahzad could be drafted in for his ODI debut today although the Durham bowler, Liam Plunkett is also available.
Finn will not be involved today but will link up with the rest of the squad ahead of the first Test on March 12. The 6ft 7in right-armer has represented England at Under 16, 17, 18 and 19 levels after making his Middlesex debut aged 16 in 2005. "There has been a lot happening at the moment," Andy Flower, the England coach, said yesterday. "Sidebottom has pulled a side muscle and will be going home on Saturday after the one-dayers have finished. He won't be fit for the Test matches so he has to go home. Bresnan is going to take his place. He's staying on after the one-dayers. We also have concerns over Broad and Onions.
"Broad injured something in his back in the last ODI and Onions is also struggling with something in his back. Both of them are having MRI scans tomorrow and we will know more about their results tomorrow afternoon." Of all the injuries, Broad's is the most worrying and also, potentially, the most serious. But Flower chose to be philosophical about the pacemen's injuries. He said: "They've got to put their bodies through quite an amazing amount of stress. It does happen and you can't go through a long period of time without those guys picking up little injuries." * PA Sport