Sidebottom can stand the pace

Ryan Sidebottom is working at the National Performance Centre to get himself ready

Peter Moores is confident Ryan Sidebottom can withstand the physical demands of international cricket after injury again ruled him out of the build-up to England’s one-day series against South Africa.

Nottinghamshire’s left-arm seamer has been a key part of England’s attack in all forms of cricket ever since forcing his way into the side at the start of last summer.

He has played 17 Tests and 14 one-day internationals since, but a succession of little niggles forced him out of two of the four Tests against South Africa, a factor that contributed to the tourists claiming their first series victory on English soil since 1965.

Sidebottom was again missing, with a hip problem, as England linked up in Edinburgh today to prepare for tomorrow’s inaugural one-day international against Scotland at the Grange, and the injury will also rule him out of Wednesday’s Twenty20 International against South Africa at Chester-le-Street.

With Chris Tremlett, another player who is no stranger to the treatment table, also struggling with a heel injury and forcing England to call up Yorkshire’s Tim Bresnan as cover, it is a frustrating time for coach Moores as he prepares for five one-day internationals against South Africa in the coming weeks.

But Moores is insistent there is no reason why Sidebottom cannot handle the physical intensity of international cricket, stressing: “He’s done it for 14 months, so it’s not something that’s a flash in the pan.

“He’s gone away to have treatment and physical work to get himself ready to play again. We’re hoping he comes back into the one-day series feeling refreshed and ready to go.”

England are hopeful of having Sidebottom available again for next Friday’s opening one-day international at Headingley Carnegie, but Moores admitted his recent problems may have been caused by his massive workload over the last year.

“Physically he’s in a better shape than he was 12 months ago, but he has had a lot of workload and he’s bowled a lot of overs in the Test matches,” explained Moores.

Sidebottom has bowled a lot of overs in Test matches over the past 12 months with England

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“We rested him for the last Test and it’s given him a bit more of a window to get fully recharged. He’s had a bit of groin pain and neck pain, which they are hopeful of getting cleared up so he is available for the next period to come.

“I saw him just before we came up here and he’s in good spirits, he’s feeling very fit and strong so he’s doing some work down at the Performance Centre (in Loughborough) with a view to meeting up with us when we get back down there.

“He’s worked hard over the last 16 months, but he picked up three or four niggles all at the same time and then he compensated for that as he’s bowled.”

With Sidebottom and Tremlett ruled out and Paul Collingwood serving the second of a four-match ban imposed for slow over-rates when he was captain against New Zealand earlier this summer, England are missing experience in tomorrow’s match.

It is England’s only opportunity to prepare before going head-to-head again with South Africa, who were briefly the world’s number one rated one-day side earlier this year, and Moores knows there is no room for error against a Scotland side desperate to chalk up a shock triumph.

“You can’t take anything lightly because we’ve got to play South Africa on Wednesday so everyone’s fighting for places and everyone’s fighting to get ready to go,” said Moores. “By the very nature of that it will be a proper game.

“To be fair, most of our studies have been about South Africa because we’re going to play them in five one-day internationals and a Twenty20.

“But what I know about Scotland is that when they played against Sussex they were always massively up for the game so you have to be up for the game as well.

“We’re trying to set trends for how we go about our cricket. (Captain) Kevin (Pietersen) has said he wants everybody up for it every time they play a game for England so that will be no different tomorrow.”

Sussex wicketkeeper Matt Prior, recalled for the one-day series, is expected to get another opportunity to establish himself as opener in the limited-overs format of the game with Andrew Flintoff settling down back in the middle order.