England, in their do-or-die tri series match versus Australia here tomorrow, are beset with injury troubles. It does not help that even the Aussies are likely to miss skipper Ricky Ponting (sore hip).England batsman Michael Vaughan has a hamstring injury and will miss the match, while fast bowler James Anderson has a series-ending back problem, team officials said Thursday, and is flying home.Vaughan missed the Ashes series due to recurring knee problems and only returned as captain for the one-day series. “He is currently on day two of a three-day intensive training programme of full training and once he gets through that programme, we’ll have a better idea of where he is,” a team spokesman said.“But the goal is for him to play on Tuesday (against New Zealand at Brisbane).”Anderson, England’s leading wicket-taker in the tri-series with eight wickets at 20.62, is being sent home to ensure his fitness for next month’s World Cup in the West Indies.“While he is pain-free at the moment, based on specialist advice with a view to him being fully fit for the entire World Cup, he has been advised as a very precautionary approach to be rested for the rest of the series,” the spokesman said.England faces second-placed New Zealand in Brisbane on Tuesday in the last preliminary-round match of the tri-series, after Australia host New Zealand in Melbourne on Sunday.Australia have already qualified for the tri-series finals.For Australia Victorian batsman Brad Hodge has been included in the squad as cover for Ponting. “Ricky suffered a slight strain in the hip region during training this afternoon and will be reviewed tomorrow morning before play where a final decision will be made on his availability,” team physiotherapist Alex Kountouris said.CA bans Mexican waveMelbourne: Cricket Australia today announced a ban on the Mexican wave at all its one-day international venues to prevent the fans’ unruly behaviour during the matches. CA chief James Sutherland said the Mexican wave had become a blight on the game and the ban would prevent a repeat of the loutish behaviour that marred a match in Melbourne last month. Bad behaviour, pitch invasions and alcohol smuggling had marred the one-day match between Australia and England at the MCG on January 12. “The advice we have taken from the experts is that the only way to stop people from throwing things in the air and making it dangerous and uncomfortable for people at the cricket is to stop the Mexican wave itself,” Sutherland said.
