England confident over injured trio

National selector Geoff Miller has revealed the signs are positive regarding three players hoping to be fit in time for England’s busy summer. Graeme Swann, Tim Bresnan and Kevin Pietersen all had their winter’s cut short due to injury, but Miller has admitted all three could be ready for the home series against New Zealand which kicks off England’s summer.

Spinner Swann and seamer Bresnan are both recovering from elbow injuries, while Pietersen was forced to return home from the tour of New Zealand with a worrying knee problem. Swann is expected to be able to return to training by the end of the next month, and Pietersen and Bresnan will also be both aiming to prove themselves in time for the first Test against the Kiwis next month, series which should be relatively straightforward, according to betting news reporters.

With the series against New Zealand and the Champions Trophy coming up before the first of back-to-back Ashes series, England will know they may have to manage all three, especially Pietersen and Swann, extremely carefully over the next few months.

For the time being, however, all three are on course to be able to return action during the opening part of the English summer, but Miller did make it clear he was comfortable in the ability of the squad handle the gruelling schedule over the next few months.

"I talked to Graeme Swann the other night and he's fine, and Bressie will be starting with Yorkshire very soon. It was a nasty injury for Kevin but it's been rectified and the medical staff will continue with that. He'll be fine,” admitted Miller to cricket betting news reporters.

"We will be ready when New Zealand come around, we have strength in depth to cope, then we've got the Champions Trophy, and the public can be sure we'll be ready for Australia when they arrive."