A lower back injury has forced Alistair Cook to drop out of England's one-day international squad in South Africa.

With the rest of the team heading to Cape Town ahead of the third match in the series on Friday (November 27th), Cook will remain in Pretoria with the performance programme - England's back-up squad.

The 24-year-old Essex batsman is suffering from a bulging disc in his back but is aiming to be fit for the first Test match against South Africa, which begins in Centurion on December 16th.

Meanwhile, another player who has recently suffered with back problems, Paul Collingwood, inspired England to a seven-wicket victory in the second one-day international on Sunday (November 22nd)

Making his record 171st appearance in a one-day match for England, the Durham man hit an unbeaten 105 and also took a superb catch to dismiss South Africa's AB de Villiers.

Collingwood missed the second Twenty20 international earlier this month due to back ache, with Cook captaining the side in his absence.