England batsman Kevin Pietersen has been ruled out of the rest of the one-day tri-series after breaking a rib when he was struck by a Glenn McGrath delivery in the first match against Australia on Friday.
The South African-born batsman is to return home after he received an agonising blow from the Australian paceman at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
The injury will take between three and five weeks to heal and the England management have opted to ensure he recovers in time for the World Cup campaign in the West Indies.
"I'm distraught to be leaving the trip without any victories," Pietersen told reporters.
"I'll be getting myself as fit as I can, I've never played at a World Cup before and I will be in the Caribbean if selected."
Charging down the wicket to McGrath, a tactic he used to good effect in the recent Ashes series, Pietersen was on 73 when he collapsed to the floor in agony after the blow to his right side. He needed several minutes to compose himself.
Despite treatment, he was in clear pain for the remainder of his innings before finally holing out to long-on for a defiant 82 in a total of 242 for eight.
The 26-year-old had been England's standout player during the Ashes defeat, scoring 490 runs at 54.44, and again on Friday showed why he is such a feared one-day batsman.
He swiped Cameron White for three big sixes in his entertaining knock before the blow from McGrath.
"Pietersen said: It was extremely sore, still is, and I knew something was wrong pretty quickly. But I am a quick healer and I'll be chomping at the bit to get to the Caribbean."
He admitted it would take a special effort from England or New Zealand to deprive Australia of victory in the one-day series.
But he added: "This England team will continue improving and getting better and who knows, if we beat New Zealand we get into the finals and that's a one-off fixture."
England said a replacement would be considered within the next 24 hours.
