Bresnan to sit out final Test with back problem

Yorkshire’s Bresnan was a key figure as England beat Australia by 74 runs to win a third consecutive Ashes series at Chester-le-Street on Monday.

It’s not clear at this stage whether Bresnan will be fit to make the trip to Australia for the return Ashes series this winter.

An ECB statement read: “England and Yorkshire pace bowler Tim Bresnan has been ruled out of the remainder of the international season with a stress fracture in his lower back.

“Bresnan will begin a recovery and rehabilitation programme and a date for his return to cricket will be determined in due course.”

The fifth and final Test of the current series begins at the Kia Oval next Wednesday.

Bresnan has played in three of the four Ashes Tests to date this summer after replacing Steven Finn at Lord’s, taking 10 wickets.

The 28-year-old’s most telling contribution came at the Riverside, however.

Coming in as nightwatchman, promoted above wicketkeeper-batsman Matt Prior, Bresnan plundered 45 in England’s second innings total of 330.

He then claimed 2-36 as Australia chased victory, with both scalps crucial to England’s success.

He crucially removed opener David Warner for 71 and all-rounder Shane Watson for two as Stuart Broad claimed six victims at the other end in a memorable four-day triumph.

As well as next week’s contest, the injury means Bresnan will also be out of the two-match Twenty20 series at the end of this month, the one-day international with Ireland and the five-match one-day series with Australia which begins at his home ground Headingley on September 6.

The enforced change to England’s line-up for the fifth Test offers Surrey seamer Chris Tremlett a chance of a first Test appearance since January 2012 against Pakistan in Dubai.

Tremlett would be looking to make an impression, with places at stake in the tour to Australia this winter.

Finn will also be hoping for a return after leaking runs in the opening Test of the summer at Trent Bridge.

Yorkshire’s hopes of progressing in the Yorkshire Bank 40, meanwhile, had long gone before yesterday’s trip to Taunton, but a three-wicket win for Somerset ensured the hosts’ bid to reach the semi-final stages remained alive.

Peter Trego was the home hero after he took his run tally to 705 for the season in the competition with an unbeaten 140, as Somerset got home with five balls to spare.

Andrew Gale’s side had posted a competitive 261-8 after losing the toss, Alex Lees (62), Jack Leaning (60) and Adam Lyth (58) being the main contributors. Adam Dibble returned career-best List A figures of 4-52, while Alfonso Thomas claimed 3-49.

Somerset only reached their target with five balls to spare, Trego leading the way with an 85-ball ton to confirm his position as the competition’s leading run-scorer. He was well supported by Craig Kieswetter (40) and Alviro Petersen, who made 51 on the final appearance of his spell with the county.

The result kept Somerset top of Group C with one fixture left against arch-rivals and fellow semi-final candidates Gloucestershire at Bristol.

Yorkshire’s innings was built around a third-wicket stand of 118 in 20 overs between Lees and Lyth, who came together with the total 39-2.

Lees was first to his half-century, off 51 balls, with three fours and a six. Lyth soon followed, having faced 48 deliveries and hit seven fours.

It was 157-3 in the 27th over when Lees was yorked by Thomas and two overs later Lyth was also back in the pavilion, caught by Thomas at long-on off leg-spinner Max Waller.

Leaning then assumed major responsibility for seeing the visitors to a challenging total, reaching the quickest fifty of the innings, off 42 balls, with four fours and a six,

Strapping pace bowler Dibble accounted for him with a full toss in the penultimate over, having earlier dismissed Gale, Ryan Gibson and Rich Pyrah.

Jos Buttler took over the wicketkeeping duties for Somerset from Kieswetter, prior to joining up with the England Lions against Bangladesh next week.

Marcus Trescothick got the hosts’ reply going with a six off Iain Wardlaw, but departed for 10 to the next delivery, after driving a catch to mid-off.

The captain need not have worried. Trego and Kieswetter added 103 in 14 overs, mixing power and finesse in splendid style.

When Kieswetter fell to a catch at mid-off to give young Ryan Gibson a wicket, Petersen came in to join the run feast, striking two sixes off Gibson in the 21st over, on his way to a 51-ball half-century.

But, it was Trego’s day, the all-rounder blasted 19 fours and two sixes in a memorable exhibition that rendered a late flurry of wickets meaningless and took his average in 11 YB40 games to a staggering 88.12.