Anderson heads home to rest back

England fast bowler James Anderson is to return home early from the tour to Australia because of a back injury.

Team management have ordered him to rest but remain confident he will be fit for the World Cup, which starts in the Caribbean in mid-March.

Anderson was out of action for several months last year after being diagnosed with a stress fracture in his back.

But a scan has revealed no such problem this time and a team spokesman said his return home was "precautionary".

Anderson heads the England bowling averages for the current triangular one-day series in Australia with eight wickets at a cost of only 20.62 runs each.

But he missed the last two games because of soreness in his back and news of the decision to send him home is a major blow to the team's chances of pipping New Zealand for a place in the best of three final against Australia.

England have to win both their remaining round robin matches to have a chance of reaching the final.