Sidebottom joins Academy squad as Harmison flies home

Yorkshire left-arm pace bowler Ryan Sidebottom is being drafted in to join the ECB National Academy squad in Australia after injuries to his county colleague Steve Kirby and Glamorgan's Simon Jones.

The injuries to Kirby and Jones mean they will miss the forthcoming four-day match against South Australia 2nd XI. Sidebottom, who made his full Test debut for England against Pakistan at Lord's last season, will remain to bolster the Academy's fast bowling resources for the rest of the current programme in Australia.

In the meantime, Durham's Steve Harmison will return to England after the match in Adelaide which begins next Monday. The director of the National Academy, Rod Marsh, explained that this decision was purely in the light of the workload Harmison has undertaken.

"Harmison has led the bowling attack in every game since the squad returned to Australia after Christmas," said Marsh. "As a result of him not having had a rest, he will not be required to play in the one-day matches in Sydney and the four-day match in Perth.

"These are the final matches of this winter's Academy programme and the management has therefore agreed that he should return home after next week's match to prepare for the coming summer at home."

Harmison has been one of numerous successes during the Academy's stay in Australia. In fact, it was widely suggested that he might have been included in the Test party to play the three-match series in New Zealand, but James Ormond, now of Surrey, was retained subject to fitness considerations.

In the latest match on tour, the National Academy lost a one-day rain-restricted match to the ACT at the Manuka Oval in Canberra by 36 runs.

Batting first, ACT managed 253 for 8 in their 50 overs. Rain reduced the Academy target to 202 runs in 31 overs under the Duckworth-Lewis system but, despite 49 from Ian Bell and 45 from Mark Wallace, the Academy were all out for 165 in 29 overs.