World Cup 2011

Broad out of World Cup with side strain

Stuart Broad

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. England are yet to confirm who will replace him, but Chris Tremlett, who has been travelling with the squad as back-up, is favourite.

Broad will head home in the next 48 hours 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."

England have already lost one of their frontline players in Kevin Pietersen, but with Eoin Morgan coming in for him, Broad's loss could be prove 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. Broad said that he could feel it 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."

Tremlett replaced Broad in the Ashes side after that injury and had 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. There are calls from some quarters for England to look elsewhere - including Adil Rashid who is with the England Lions in the West Indies at the moment - but Tremlett is most likely to be drafted in. Whoever does come in will have to be approved by the ICC Event Technical Committee.