Cook plays his county cricket for Essex and made his Test debut in 2006

Alastair Cook will not fly to Cape Town with England's one-day international squad on Monday as he recovers from a persistent back problem.

The Essex opener, and England vice-captain, is suffering with a bulging disc issue, and he will now remain with the back-up Performance Squad.

The focus will be on getting Cook fit for the first Test in December.

Liam Plunkett, seam-bowling cover for Stuart Broad (shoulder), will move on to the Cape for the third one-dayer.

But Cook seems unlikely to play any part in the final three ODIs, and with one spare batsman - Joe Denly - already at England's disposal his spot does not need covering with any great urgency.

Broad and Graeme Swann are hoping to recover for the Cape Town match on Friday after missing Sunday's match in Centurion.

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