Tremlett travelling to World Cup as reserve

Chris Tremlett is to join England's World Cup squad as a travelling reserve after a spate of injuries to their bowling attack.

Tremlett has now fully recovered from a side strain and is in contention to deputise for any of the host of his fellow bowlers who also suffered injuries during a tortuous seven-match one-day international series in Australia, which England lost 6-1.

National Selector Geoff Miller said: "Whilst the injured bowlers are all progressing well, the selectors have decided it would be prudent to have an additional player on hand who is acclimatised in case we need to apply to the Event Technical Committee for a replacement due to injury."

Yorkshire pacemen Tim Bresnan and Ajmal Shahzad also departed the ODI series after suffering calf and hamstring injuries respectively. Tremlett, who flew home with Shahzad but has made a swift recovery, would be an ideal replacement should either of that pair or Stuart Broad - nearing fitness after an abdominal injury ended his tour following the second Ashes Test - not make it to the event in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

Spinner Graeme Swann is a further doubt with a back problem and batsman Eoin Morgan has been ruled out with a broken finger, but coach Andy Flower was upbeat on the prospects for his depleted bowling attack.

"We've got good news on most of our other players," confirmed Flower. "The guys that came back early are progressing well."

Tremlett excelled during the tour Down Under, taking 17 wickets at 23.35 in his three Tests as England won the Ashes courtesy of three innings victories, and then added a further six wickets in four ODIs.

Meanwhile, The Marylebone Cricket Club has awarded Archbishop Desmond Tutu and former England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff honorary life membership.

Widely known as a cricket enthusiast, Dr Tutu was the first speaker to be drawn from outside the circle of international cricket to deliver the MCC Spirit of Cricket Cowdrey Lecture in 2008.

Flintoff joins a select group of former players, including Sir Garfield Sobers, Sunil Gavaskar and Sir Ian Botham, who are already life members of the club. He also becomes the second member of England's 2005 Ashes-winning side to join the MCC fold, following Michael Vaughan's award last year.