Broad hopeful for Test despite backbreaking bed

Stuart Broad remains hopeful of being available for the first Test against Bangladesh at Chittagong as he recovers from his back problem, but he hasn't been helped by an uncomfortable hotel bed.

Broad pulled up with his injury - a spasm caused by a problem with the facet joint - during the second ODI in Dhaka and it was exacerbated by the flight to Chittagong. He has since undergone extensive physio, but revealed some less conventional methods were needed to overcome a rock-hard mattress.

"The beds in our hotel are incredibly hard like someone has laid down a boundary board and that hasn't exactly been the most enjoyable experience with my back until we got some foam put down," he said. "The foam in the bed idea was actually Matt Prior's. I'm in the connecting next door and all I can hear is him moaning about the bed and it creaking with each turn.

"The next day some maintenance guy from the hotel walked in with a massive bit of foam and we cut it up so that we each had enough for our beds, now a few of the other lads have followed suit."

Broad is one of a glut of injury problems that have hampered England since arriving in Bangladesh. Already Ryan Sidebottom has flown home and fellow paceman Graham Onions is also receiving treatment on a back injury that has left him doubtful for the opening clash and England needing reinforcements.

Broad went through his first gentle bowl on Monday, but knows he'll have to give his back a proper workout in the days leading into the Test to find out whether he can withstand a five-day game.

"I don't think I'm far off being ready for a Test match, but I need to test myself to the max over the next couple of days," he said. "Today was only a light bowl and tomorrow I'm going to push myself harder as is Graham and then if it all goes to plan then we will be bowling as hard as we can by Wednesday.

"The key for me is to then come back and be able to bowl as hard as I can on Thursday, but if I can't then I won't be able to honestly say that I'll be fit for a Test match.

With James Anderson in England resting his chronic knee problem, Broad is the most experienced bowler on tour and is central to the team's planning both with the ball and also his lower-order batting which helps balance the side. But with England looking likely to play two spinners they can't afford for one of their quicks to pull up during the match and Broad won't be taking any chances.

"I've bowled a bit earlier than first hoped because that gives us time to get a proper gauge on how it is because I certainly won't declare myself fit for a Test match if I'm not a hundred percent sure I can bowl for five days," he said. "That would be unfair on the team, so I will only be up for selection if we know I'm fully fit. The biggest thing for me is to have got enough volume of overs before the game."