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Louise Thomas
Editor
Paul Collingwood will fly home today after suffering a back spasm in yesterday's two-wicket defeat to Australia in Sydney.
The 34-year-old had treatment on the injury today, after flying with the team to Perth, but England management decided to send him home to begin his recovery ahead of the World Cup.
Collingwood will therefore miss Sunday's final game of the one-day international series at the WACA Ground, but he is expected to be fit to join the squad when they depart for the World Cup on February 12.
Collingwood becomes the fifth England player to be sent home early from the tour of Australia.
Seamers Ajmal Shahzad (hamstring) and Chris Tremlett (side) flew home earlier today to join Graeme Swann (back/knee) and Tim Bresnan (calf), who returned to England early last week, on the sidelines.
And with Stuart Broad still recovering from a stomach injury he suffered during the Ashes, the majority of England's World Cup bowling attack are on the physio's table.
All of them are expected to be fit for the World Cup opener against Holland on February 22.
Collingwood's early departure is also more precautionary and, with his wife is due to give birth next week, the England team management decided there was little reason to keep him in Australia.
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