YORK youngster Dan Broadbent's World Cup cricket dream ended in agony when he was forced to fly back early from Bangladesh with a dislocated knee.

Spinner Broadbent was part of the England Under-19 team bidding for world honours in the Asian country but only lasted two group games before falling victim to a freak injury in the nets.

It was originally feared that the ex-Yorkshire bowler had broken his knee but a scan revealed the problem is not as serious although it still leaves the former Lady Lumley's and Ryedale pupil's immediate future in doubt.

Yorkshire withdrew their offer of a contract earlier this year when Surrey contacted the White Rose county for permission to speak to the highly-rated Broadbent but, without any deal being finalised before his injury, he now expects to start the season playing Yorkshire ECB County Premier League cricket for York again if he is fit.

Broadbent took 51 wickets in an impressive year for the Clifton Park club and said: "I won't be at Yorkshire this season which is another disappointing factor. I was hoping to do a pre-season somewhere but now I will have to hang fire.

"I have been speaking to Surrey but nobody else. I am now involved with an agency and they are hoping to find me somewhere to play.

"I will carry on playing for York because I need to get some training and a couple of games under my belt. I'm hoping to be back for the start of the season but that's me setting myself optimistic targets.

"I'm back in the gym cycling and am now just waiting to get back running. I might be fit to play league cricket but don't know whether I will be ready to play longer stuff at the start of the season."

Broadbent's injury could not have come at a more inopportune time but the York teenager is just thankful that the diagnosis was not even worse.

He said: "I was batting and playing off the back foot and my body went one way and my knee the other. My studs got stuck in the ground.

"I thought it could be broken and had a scan in Bangladesh but I was sent home to see a specialist and, although my knee was in two bits, it was dislocated rather than broken."

England reached the semi-finals of the tournament but Broadbent was disappointed to only play against minnows Nepal and Uganda with South Africa, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Pakistan and West Indies later opponents.

"I missed out on all those big games, which was a bit unfortunate," Broadbent admits. "I was not required against Uganda because we bowled them out for 40 but I got eight overs against Nepal and took 1-28.

"I watched the lads play New Zealand in a day-night match and it was good to be there even though I was not playing. I wanted to stay out there longer but needed to get home."

England went on to lose against the West Indies in the last four despite beating eventual winners Pakistan in the second group stage and their World Cup campaign was considered a success.

Despite injury taking the gloss off his competition, Broadbent still enjoyed being a part of the event - however briefly. He said: "It was a fantastic experience. Bangladesh is a totally different culture and world really."

"There was a lot of effort put into the opening ceremony and the crowds were fantastic. There's a big cricket following over there, the crowds were big and their enthusiasm for the sport is terrific.

"It was hot but we went to Malaysia before, which was warmer and more humid. By the time we got to Bangladesh, which has more of a dry heat, we were used to the temperatures.

"The pitches were good. They were hard, fast, quite bouncy and the ball seamed about a bit."

York start their league season with a home game against Barnsley on Saturday, April 24.

Updated: 11:43 Saturday, March 27, 2004