Chris Tremlett's England future in doubt as he returns from Abu Dhabi

Chris Tremlett has flown home from Abu Dhabi because of the back injury that ruled him out of England's second Test against Pakistan, raising real questions about his international future. Tremlett's appearance in England's defeat in Dubai was his first for six months since he suffered a hamstring problem in the first Test against India at Lord's last July, which led to a more serious back complaint. The 30-year-old Surrey seamer has suffered regular interruptions to his international career since he made his one-day debut in 2005. Now he will definitely miss the rest of the Pakistan series, with no word yet on whether the latest problem will require further surgery. England, who have already called Graham Onions into their tour squad as a replacement for Tim Bresnan, are expected to look to the Lions squad who have just completed a one-day series in Bangladesh and have now moved on to Sri Lanka. But Boyd Rankin, the tall Ireland and Warwickshire bowler who would have been the most obvious like for like replacement for Tremlett, would seem to be out of the running after he recently returned home with a thigh strain. That leaves the Surrey pair of Jade Dernbach and Stuart Meaker as the most likely contenders.