Swann out for two weeks with knee injury

Graeme Swann will be out of action for up to two weeks after picking up a knee injury against Australia. He sustained the problem during the first Twenty20 in Adelaide and played on over the weekend in Melbourne but was forced to leave the field during the first one-day international.

"He's got a slightly strangely formed knee cap on his left knee," Andy Flower, the England team director, said. "He got hit and it is badly bruised and quite painful so he won't be playing in the next game and might have to rest for 10 days to two weeks."

Swann was the pick of England's bowlers at the MCG taking 1 for 42 from his 10 overs as the visitors failed to defend 295 with Shane Watson hitting an unbeaten 161. His absence will be a major blow for England, who are already without James Anderson and Stuart Broad, as they aim to level the series because their one-day cricket is heavily based around the duel spin attack of Swann and Michael Yardy. Although, in the long run, a short break for the No. 1 spinner in the world may not be the worst thing after the exertions of the Ashes series.

If England decide to retain two spinners in Hobart it will mean a chance for James Tredwell, the Kent offspinner, to add to his two ODI caps. Whoever makes up the bowling attack will have to come up with a way of stopping Watson who finally converted his consistent form into a matchwinning innings in Melbourne.

"The standout performance was Watson, who played an incredible innings," Flower said. "I thought we had periods of some very good cricket and then the odd occasion where we let slip the advantage and the momentum we had gained in the game. That's both with bat and ball. Early wickets are always important in 50-over cricket and that's what we will be aiming for."

In the absence of Anderson and Broad, the pace attack is light on experience with a lot of pressure on Tim Bresnan who went for 71 at the MCG. Anderson is due back in Australia at the weekend when the tour moves to Sydney and will be available for selection for Adelaide on January 26. Broad, who has been out of action since the second Ashes Test with a stomach injury, is flying back with Anderson but isn't expected to take part in the series.

"We don't anticipate Broad playing in this series," Flower said. "It would be a surprise if he got up to speed in time to do that but it's better for him to be out here with us rather than in the middle of an English winter back home."