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Graham Onions celebrates a dismissal - Source: Reuters -
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England fast bowler Graham Onions will miss the two-test series against Bangladesh because of a back injury, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said on Friday.
"I'm desperately disappointed for him," stand-in captain Alastair Cook told reporters.
"He was a huge part of our plans and he still is, obviously, because of the way he bowled in South Africa," Cook said of the 27-year-old who took eight wickets and batted stubbornly in England's recent 1-1 series draw in South Africa.
Onions sustained the injury in practice last week before the first test, which starts on Satturday in Chittagong, leaving the tourists with a lack of experienced pace bowling options.
James Anderson and Ryan Sidebottom are out of the tour with leg injuries. Stuart Broad missed the third one-day international with a back problem but was able to bowl in the nets on Thursday.
"Luckily we've got the strength in depth in our seam-bowling unit to be able to cope," he said.
Tim Bresnan, who has played two tests, and uncapped 20-year-old Steven Finn are in contention to be called up.
The second test in Mirpur starts on March 20 before both countries head to the West Indies for the Twenty20 World Cup.
England host Bangladesh for two test matches in May and June, a series Cook believes Onions will take part in.
"The MRI scan didn't show too much structural damage so it does look like a short-term thing," he said.
