Tim Bresnan willing to take his time

The seam-bowling all-rounder, a mainstay of England's ICC World Twenty20 victory last year and a surprise weapon as they clinched the Ashes this winter, missed the last five matches in a 6-1 one-day series defeat by Australia.

That finished only eight days ago but Bresnan was back home by then and the Yorkshireman admitted he was concerned that it might scupper his World Cup hopes.

"There were doubts about the seriousness of the tear," he said. "The fact that it bled so much probably led to the grey area. But I think we are slightly ahead of schedule now."

But Bresnan will not be fit for tomorrow's opening warm-up match against Canada in Fatullah and may even miss the second at the same venue against Pakistan on Friday. He said: "I hope I can get a warm-up game but I will definitely be targeting the start of the tournament. I'm back bowling 80 to 85 per cent, and will probably go flat out later in the week.

"I want to get in a few net sessions at 100 per cent before I take the field for a competitive game."

Once Bresnan's fears about the severity of his injury had subsided he was happy to have more time than many of his team-mates to rest following the first part of an arduous winter.

"It probably wasn't the ideal time to get injured," he said. "But the saving grace, silver lining, is that I've had a bit of time at home to relax and recharge my mind as well as my body.

"This is the World Cup. If you can't get up for the World Cup, then you probably can't get up for anything."

Meanwhile, Eoin Morgan could still figure in the tournament after it was decided he is unlikely to require surgery on his broken finger.

But the Middlesex batsman has already been replaced in the squad by Essex's Ravi Bopara, so he could only get a recall if another England player drops out through injury.

England have also asked the ICC for special dispensation to allow Surrey pace bowler Chris Tremlett, who is on standby to play against Canada.