ENGLAND will head into next month’s World Cup with a bowling attack short on match practice after Graeme Swann’s tour of Australia was yesterday ended prematurely due to a back injury.

Swann will fly home today after he was ruled out for the rest of the seven-match one-day international series, which England trail 3-0, due to a lower back strain.

The 31-year-old will be the second England bowler to leave the tour in the space of three days after a calf injury ended Tim Bresnan’s involvement in the series.

While both are expected to recover in time for England’s World Cup opener against Holland on February 22, they are set to go into the tournament short on game time.

Swann’s next match will now not be until the group stages as he will not fly to the sub-continent until the eve of the tournament to stay with his pregnant wife.

Bresnan will also face a race against time to take part in the warm-up games against Canada and Pakistan on February 16 and 18.

Those matches are also likely to be the first time Stuart Broad bowls competitively for more than two months as he continues his recovery from a stomach injury suffered during the Ashes.

The right-armer rejoined the squad in Australia at the weekend but has been restricted to gentle bowling in the nets and will not play in the current series.

That means James Anderson will be the only front-liner available in the remaining four matches against Australia.

Anderson is set to return to action in today’s fourth oneday international in Adelaide after his three-week break after the Ashes – a rest period that has proved invaluable given the injury crisis.

It is a situation to concern team director Andy Flower who, after being without Swann in the previous two games, decided to send him home to allow him to prepare for a sub-continental World Cup where the world’s topranked spinner is set to play a significant role.

“It is a big blow because he is an important part of our side. He is a world-class performer and he is full of confidence after the Ashes, but these things happen,” said Flower.

“We are coming towards the end of a long, hard tour and certainly the physical challenges are starting to take their toll.”

While Flower admitted the heavy schedule in Australia may have contributed to the injuries of his bowlers, he believes their absences will allow his back-up attack invaluable experience.

“We are going to need, with the schedules we are given these days, a squad in which we can rotate, certainly the fast bowlers,” he added.

“They are the ones that are at the greatest risk of injury.

“One of the areas that I’ve been really happy with on this tour is the fact that some of our fringe players have come in and done very well.”

Flower also hinted that Paul Collingwood was set to keep his place despite scoring just one on his recall in Sydney following a poor tour with the bat.

Collingwood was dropped for the previous two games, although with the bowling attack down to the bare bones his medium pace provides an option England are in need of.

“The fact that he can bowl cannily as he does is another string to his bow,’’ Flower added. “It’s what has made him a very successful one-day international cricketer for England.”