Liam Plunkett called up as problems mount for battered England

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Ajmal Shahzad (hamstring) and Chris Tremlett (side strain) are the latest two pace bowlers to suffer setbacks, joining Tim Bresnan (calf) and Stuart Broad (stomach muscle) on the sidelines.

Shahzad and Tremlett were due to have scans today. Plunkett was chosen in the England Performance Squad that spent some time Down Under during the Ashes tour and he could be selected for Wednesday's sixth one-day international in Sydney if Shahzad cannot regain fitness in time.

The Durham bowler had slipped out of international contention after making his Test and one-day debuts in 2005 but he competed in the one-day series in Bangladesh last March and, at 25, his best years should still be ahead
of him.

Plunkett's first task will be to help England's one-day side restore some pride after yesterday's 51-run defeat in Brisbane ensured Australia took an unassailable 4-1 lead in the seven-match series. England had hoped to mount a comeback after claiming the fourth match in Adelaide but yet another disappointing batting display allowed Michael Clarke's team to wrap up the series and leave captain Andrew Strauss and coach Andy Flower with plenty of thinking to do before their first World Cup match against Holland on 22 February.

"What's concerning is that we haven't played smart cricket," admitted Strauss, who was dismissed for just three yesterday while no England batsman managed to reach 50. "There have been a lot of cameos but no telling innings.

"We're very disappointed with the way we have batted throughout the series and we got what we deserved in Brisbane.

"We've got the World Cup coming up and I'd hate to see guys go into their shells but our decision making hasn't been good enough. The reasons for that, I'm not sure."