Injury set to rule Haddin out of ODIs

Australia suffered more bad news on the morning after their Ashes defeat with Brad Haddin, their senior wicketkeeper, sent home with a broken finger. Haddin is almost certain to miss the ODI and Twenty20 series in England in the hope of recuperating in time for the Champions Trophy, although team management have yet to rule out the possibility of him returning to the UK later in the tour.

Haddin suffered the fracture to his left ring finger moments after the coin toss at Edgbaston, and while he missed that match, he played the final two Tests at Headingley and The Oval with the assistance of pain-killing injections. He underwent further scans on Monday morning, after Australia's 197-run defeat at The Oval, and will return home to allow the finger time to heal.

"It has now been decided Brad will return to Australia to allow him further recovery time and consultation with specialists to determine the best possible management of the injury," Australia's physiotherapist Alex Kountouris said. "His participation in any of the one-day and Twenty20 components of Australia's VB Tour of England and the ICC Champions Trophy will be decided after consultation with these specialists."

Australia had already flown Tasmania's Tim Paine to England as cover for the back-up keeper, Graham Manou, for the Oval Test. Manou is not in Australia's ODI squad, leaving Paine to slot in, if needed, for Friday's one-day game against Scotland in Edinburgh, the ensuing two Twenty20 matches at Old Trafford and the seven ODIs against England.

Australia have yet to name a reserve wicketkeeper, although 27-year-old Chris Hartley, the incumbent Queensland glovesman who is playing in the Northern League near Manchester, deputised for Manou and Haddin during Australia's two-day warm-up match in between the fourth and fifth Tests.