England sweat on Sidebottom fitness

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The 29-year-old has already been overlooked for the three-day game against a strong Select XI starting on Thursday and faces a race against time to recover in time to take his place in England's line-up for the opening Test in Hamilton next Wednesday.

"We're not concerned about him for the Test match at this stage and it's a little bit of a precaution that he'll miss the three-day game, but he has got a slight problem so there has to be some concern," said England captain Michael Vaughan.

"Hopefully over the next few days he'll heal fast and he'll be able to start bowling towards the end of the three-day game or when we arrive in Hamilton."

Sidebottom has excelled since becoming an established member of England's Test and one-day sides at the start of last summer and was expected to take the new ball with former Yorkshire team-mate Matthew Hoggard at Seddon Park.

But now Vaughan must prepare an alternative plan in case Sidebottom, who has played in England`s last nine Tests since first winning his place back in the side following an injury to Hoggard, is ruled out.

"If fit you'd have thought he'd be in the Test team the way that he's bowled in both forms of the game. He's been a really good bowler for us," added Vaughan.

His absence from the three-day match is expected to give Lancashire's Jimmy Anderson a chance to impress ahead of Hampshire's Chris Tremlett, who was added to the squad as cover but is unlikely to feature in this week's final warm-up.