England draft in Shahzad

Ajmal Shahzad has been added to England's NatWest Series squad because of a hamstring injury to Ryan Sidebottom.

Yorkshireman to cover for injured Sidebottom

England have added Yorkshire paceman Ajmal Shahzad to their squad for the NatWest Series against Australia because of a hamstring injury to Ryan Sidebottom. Shahzad, 24, has played once in each of the three international formats, his solitary ODI appearance having come during the tour of Bangladesh in March. His call-up means England will have a 14-man party at their disposal for the five one-dayers with Australia, as Sidebottom will also remain with the squad. The left-arm seamer suffered a grade one strain of his left hamstring during Nottinghamshire's Friends Provident t20 match against Worcestershire on Sunday. He has been ruled out of his county's fixture with Lancashire on Tuesday and will receive ongoing rehabilitation and further assessment from the England and Wales Cricket Board's medical staff. "It's a shame Ryan has picked up this injury, because he's been injury-free for some time now and bowling well," said national selector Geoff Miller. "Thankfully it's a relatively minor injury, and we look forward to him making a full recovery soon. "Ajmal Shahzad is a strong addition to the squad - and he'll no doubt be looking to build on his maiden ODI appearance for England in Bangladesh over the winter." England face Scotland in Edinburgh in a one-off one-day international on June 19 before the NatWest Series opener at the Rose Bowl on June 22.