Side strain rules Sidebottom out of one-day series

Ryan Sidebottom's injury nightmare continued yesterday when he was ruled out of England's remaining four matches in the one-day series against India. Sidebottom picked up his latestinjury – a small tear in the right side of his lower trunk – in Indore while attempting to prove he had overcome the Achilles tendon problem that has kept him out of action since England's Stanford week in Antigua almost a month ago.

The tear is not severe enough for the injury-prone seamer to return home, and England have not given up hope of him being fit for the two-Test series against India, starting on 11 December. Rather than travel around India with England's one-day squad, Sidebottom will stay in Bangalore, the venue for today's fourth one-dayer, where he will rehabilitate with the England Performance Programme squad, who got here on Thursday.

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England are yet to call up a replacement for Sidebottom, but they have bowlers at hand. Yorkshire's Tim Bresnan, Dur-ham's Liam Plunkett, Lancashire's Sajid Mahmood and Kent's Robbie Joseph and Amjad Khan are in the EPP squad.

Where this leaves Sidebottom's career is a moot point. The 30-year-old was a star when he returned to the England side 18 months ago, deservedly being named player of the year.

But the physical demands of international cricket have taken their toll. Five months ago, Sidebottom bowled England to Test victory against New Zealand at Trent Bridge, where he claimed second-innings figures of 6 for 67, but since then back, groin, hip, side, calf, Achilles tendon and lower-trunk injuries have restricted him to 112 overs in five months.

Despite that record, England's patience with Sidebottom is not waning. "I don't think there will be a problem with Ryan bowling at the same intensity when he comes back," said Peter Moores, the England coach. "If anything I think we will get more out of him than we have.

"We know he has great control and he can swing the ball both ways. He is an experienced bowler and has the skills we need. The key thing is he gets fit and then gets fit to bowl. His body is saying it is not ready to play cricket. Fast bowlers can pick up niggles – Andrew Flintoff was struggling for some time, but he is back now."

Kevin Pietersen could do with Sidebottom's control in today's day-nighter, but he will now have to go with either James Anderson or Stephen Harmison. Whoever plays in the must-win game for Englandwill face an even stronger India side than usual – the return of Sachin Tendulkar will add extra interest to the match.

Aussies close in on win

Simon Katich's unbeaten century put Australia on course for victory in the First Test against New Zealand in Brisbane. Katich hit 131, his sixth Test century, to see his side to a second-innings total of 268. It left the Kiwisa target of 327 to win, but Brett Lee claimed his 300th Test scalp as they slumped to 49 for 4. Only Ross Taylor dented the home side's attack and his 67 not out saw New Zealand to 143 for 6 at the close.