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Anderson home for baby birth

Melbourne - England fast bowler James Anderson has returned home to be present at the birth of his child, but plans to return to Australia in time for the third Ashes Test in Perth, coach Andy Flower said on Wednesday.

VIDEO: England perform the 'sprinkler' dance

"It's not ideal, it's not perfect but we try to get the balance right between our commitments to England and our responsibility to the individual and his family," Flower told reporters at the team hotel in Melbourne.

"He will suffer from a bit of jet lag. It's not great that he is going to be on a plane all this time but that's what we are dealing with. He gets back a couple of hours ahead or behind our plane (to Perth)."

The third Test starts on December 16.

England took a 1-0 lead in the series after winning the second match in Adelaide by an innings and 71 runs on the final day on Tuesday.

Victory celebrations were tempered, however, by news that Anderson's new ball partner Stuart Broad would miss the rest of the Ashes series with a torn abdominal muscle.

Anderson took six wickets in the second Test, including two in two balls on the final morning to help ensure England seized victory before torrential rain poured down on Adelaide.

The visitors will start a three-day game against Victoria on Friday, where Tim Bresnan, Chris Tremlett and Ajmal Shahzad will all play with the aim of forcing their way into the side for the third Test on a fast, bouncy Perth wicket.

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