England call up Adil Rashid after Michael Yardy leaves World Cup with depression

Yardy's departure two days before England's first knockout match has made him the fourth member of the squad to begin this tournament but fail to finish it.

Before the slow left-armer's exit, injury put paid to Kevin Pietersen, Stuart Broad and most recently Ajmal Shahzad's hopes of adding World Cup glory to this winter's historic Ashes triumph in Australia.

England have acted quickly to replace Yardy with leg-spinner Adil Rashid, summoned from Lions duty in the West Indies and due to arrive in Sri Lanka while his team-mates are in action against their hosts in tomorrow's match at the Premadasa Stadium.

The Yorkshire leg-spinner - preferred to Samit Patel, who would have been a direct like-for-like replacement but whose fitness levels have often failed to satisfy England - may therefore join the squad in time to prepare for a midweek semi-final or, alternatively, to accompany them on a flight back home.

England decided on Wednesday night that Yardy needed to leave Colombo, and a text message from team manager Phil Neale informed the entire squad yesterday morning.

A subsequent England and Wales Cricket Board statement read: "The decision was taken in close consultation with the England medical team after it was agreed Yardy should return home immediately to receive the best possible advice and support as he seeks to overcome an illness he has been managing for a prolonged period of time."

The Sussex captain himself said: "Leaving at this stage of a World Cup campaign was a very difficult decision to make, but I felt that it was the only sensible option for me and I wanted to be honest about the reason behind that decision."

Thirty-year-old Yardy, who is married with two young children, added: "I would like to wish the squad all the very best for the game on Saturday.

"I would appreciate some privacy over the coming weeks while I spend time with family and close friends before what I hope will be a successful season for Sussex."

He has received public support from Sussex coach Mark Robinson, ECB managing director Hugh Morris and team-mate Ravi Bopara.

The latter had begun to suspect all was not well with his usually jovial team-mate, who was involved in the initial stages of England's stuttering Group B campaign but was dropped for their last two matches.

"I noticed over the last day or couple of days that he wasn't 100 per cent Michael Yardy," said Bopara.

"Normally he's quite bubbly and quite a busy character. But he hasn't been so busy the last couple of days - so I did notice something. But I didn't realise that it was to the extent that he needed to go home."

Bopara is convinced nonetheless that Yardy has done the right thing. "I think players should be open about it anyway, because it can be a big problem," he said.

"It's not a minor issue, something that you can look upon lightly. It can affect someone quite badly; it can affect their life. So you should be open about it, and I'm glad he has been."

Yardy is the second England player in recent times to find a sub-Continental tour mentally beyond him.Marcus Trescothick, who was coincidentally speaking yesterday about the likely toll on the players of being away so long over such an arduous winter, had to leave the 2006 tour of India and has since been lost to England. The opener, still captain of Somerset, said of England's current schedule: "It drains you; you become a zombie.

"You roll from one practice session to the next game, to the next bus ride, and you're not really switched on and focused on what you're doing."

Bopara appears to be less troubled by the grind. "From personal experience, I haven't suffered from depression ... not yet anyway," he said. "I've been away from home from quite a young age. I've been in and out of the house since the age of 16. I've been lucky enough to get used to being away.

"It's quite nice being away, that time to go away and play cricket - I love playing cricket.

"I do focus all my energy into my cricket - which in a way helps me not think about home and my family and all that sort of stuff.

"My way of dealing with it is just focus everything towards my cricket. But the way I handle things isn't the only way to deal with it."

England employ a psychologist to help players off-load the stresses and strains - and although Mark Bawden is not on this trip, Bopara acknowledges that his regular presence is a help.

"I haven't had to speak to the psychologist about any of my problems," he added.

"But it is reassuring knowing that someone is there if you do need to open up to someone."