Anderson heads home

James Anderson will rest for ten days before the preparing for the World Cup © Getty Images

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James Anderson is set to fly back to England for the second time in a month, after the England management decided to rest him from both Twenty20 internationals and the first three of England's seven-match ODI series against Australia that gets underway next week.

Anderson has been the spearhead of England's successful Ashes campaign, claiming 24 wickets at 26.04 to set his side up for their first series win in Australia for 24 years. He claimed four-wicket hauls in the first innings of both innings victories at Adelaide and Melbourne, as well as at Sydney, where England wrapped up another triumph.

He flew home for a week between the second and third Tests in mid-December to attend the birth of his second daughter, and the management have decided that it is in the team's best interests to give him a further chance to spend time at home before the second half of their winter campaign gets underway.

"James Anderson will be returning to the UK for a complete break from cricket for ten days," said England's coach, Andy Flower. "He has had a heavy workload so far this winter, playing in all five Tests and we feel that he will benefit from a short rest period to ensure that he is fresh for the second half of the Australia ODI series and the World Cup which follows shortly after."

Anderson will leave for the UK on January 8 and will return to Australia on January 22 ahead of the fourth ODI in Adelaide on January 26. Steven Finn will remain with the England squad in Anderson's absence before joining the England Lions tour of the West Indies.

Meanwhile Craig Kieswetter has been ruled out of the Twenty20 series due to an abscess and will undergo minor surgery. Kieswetter's last match against Australia was the World Twenty20 final in Barbados, in which he won the Man of the Match award for a hard-hitting half-century. He has been replaced by his opening partner in that game, Michael Lumb, who is currently playing for Queensland Bulls.

"It is unfortunate that Craig has been ruled out of the Twenty20 series," said England's national selector, Geoff Miller, "but having performed well during his time with the England Performance Programme this winter he will have an opportunity to make a full recovery and then continue to push for further international honours when he tours with England Lions later this month.

"Michael Lumb has already demonstrated his ability in Twenty20 cricket and it is good to have him back playing cricket again after a long term injury. We are delighted to be able to call a player of his calibre into the squad."