Ryan Sidebottom has been ruled out of England's final warm-up match ahead of the Test series against New Zealand due to a hamstring strain.

The Nottinghamshire left-arm seamer sustained the injury during the final one-day international in Christchurch on Saturday and did not bowl during the two-day warm-up match against an Invitational side at the University Oval which finished today.

There are also worries over the form of Stephen Harmison, who in the opening warm-up game produced one of those erratic displays for which he has become renowned.

Sidebottom's injury overshadowed a fine performance by England bowlers after they ripped through a near-test strength batting line-up, featuring Matthew Bell, Peter Fulton, Stephen Fleming and Mathew Sinclair, for just 146 at Dunedin's University Oval.

James Anderson and Matthew Hoggard took three wickets each while Harmison collected two in a return which for all its waywardness, was encouraging in parts. The Invitational side then reached 102 for three by the close after being asked to follow on.

Tim Ambrose, the Warwickshire wicketkeeper, also put himself in line to make his Test debut against New Zealand, ahead of Phil Mustard, with an impressive stint behind the stumps.

Sidebottom, 29, has already been overlooked for the three-day game against a strong Select XI starting on Thursday and faces a race against time to recover in time to take his place in England's line-up for the opening Test in Hamilton next Wednesday.

"We're not concerned about him for the Test match at this stage and it's a little bit of a precaution that he'll miss the three-day game, but he has got a slight problem so there has to be some concern," Michael Vaughan, the England captain, said.

"Hopefully over the next few days he'll heal fast and he'll be able to start bowling towards the end of the three-day game or when we arrive in Hamilton."

Sidebottom has excelled since becoming an established member of England's Test and one-day sides at the start of last summer and was expected to take the new ball with former Yorkshire team-mate Matthew Hoggard at Seddon Park.

But now Vaughan must prepare an alternative plan in case Sidebottom, who has played in England's last nine Tests since first winning his place back in the side following an injury to Hoggard, is ruled out.

"If fit you'd have thought he'd be in the Test team the way that he's bowled in both forms of the game. He's been a really good bowler for us," Vaughan added.

His absence from the three-day match is expected to give Lancashire's Jimmy Anderson a chance to impress ahead of Hampshire's Chris Tremlett, who was added to the squad as cover but is unlikely to feature in this week's final warm-up.

As for Harmison, who once infamously bowled a delivery to Andrew Flintoff at first slip during the opening over of an Ashes spell, Vaughan was typically upbeat.

“I’ve seen him spray it worse than that so I suppose that’s quite a good start - it’s not all doom and gloom with him,” he said.

“During the first few days in Christchurch he was a bit rusty and got better and better and as the game and the day went on he got better and better. There are good signs and if he’s selected for the three-day game, he’s got another opportunity to bowl more and more.”

Harmison, too, has had his injury worries, complaining of lower back pain last weekend.

"Steve is stiff, but he seems all right,” said Vaughan. “He was one of the reasons why we went out and bowled again, to try and give him some more overs.

“He seems to be getting better and stronger and a lot more loose the more that he goes on so that’s a good sign for us - no batsman in the world likes bounce and Steve provides that."