Appliance of science could help Tudor comeback

Alex Tudor fears he could be out of action through injury for the rest of the season.

The Surrey and England fast bowler has not played for his county since April because of a long-standing back complaint.

He is playing for Surrey seconds and his club side Spencer purely as a batsman, but he is unable to pencil in a return to the first team until he completely re-modifies his bowling action.

Tudor, 26, spent last week with biomechanics experts at Worcester University to assess how he could bowl again without further damage to his back.

He said: "I have to alter my action a little bit to make it more chest-on, which will take some time.

"When you are used to bowling one way, it's hard to change in the middle of your career.

"I am working hard to train my brain so it's second nature. I'm all right in practice but in competitive games I go back to the old ways."

Tudor, who has been plagued by injury problems throughout his career, played the last of his 10 Tests against Australia in December 2002.

The bowler insisted he had now "given up setting a

comeback target" but said: "Hopefully, I'll be back before the end of the season, provided I can bowl enough overs without breaking down."