ENGLAND GIVEN INJURY SCARE BY BAIRSTOW

Wicketkeeper was forced off the field with a finger injury during Ashes warm-up game

England were handed yet another injury fright in Australia on Wednesday as Jonny Bairstow was briefly forced out of an Ashes warm-up match with a finger injury.

The wicketkeeper appeared to hurt the middle finger on his left hand after taking a blow from a Chris Woakes delivery which bounced in front of him and, after one more ball, opted to leave the field for treatment.

He was later seen in the Tony Ireland Stadium pavilion in Townsville with extra strapping around the dodgy digit in question but, to the relief of the touring party, was able to return to the action 50 minutes after walking off.

A spokesman for the national side said the finger was bruised rather than fractured.

England have endured a difficult build-up to their Ashes campaign Down Under.

^{Jonny Bairstow is expected to bat at six for England in the absence of Ben Stokes}

Toby Roland-Jones was ruled out of the tour through injury, Mark Wood's heel prevented him from being selected and Steven Finn was forced to return home with torn knee cartilage after being summoned in place of Ben Stokes, who is still waiting to discover if he will be charged by police over an alleged assault.

Then, in the warm-up game in Adelaide last week, Jake Ball sprained his right ankle.

However, Bairstow's issue is not expected to put his place in the series at risk.

With the Yorkshireman off the field, the gloves were handed to Ben Foakes - even though the Surrey keeper was not included in the side to take on a Cricket Australia XI. 

Foakes, one of four uncapped players in the England squad this winter, quickly took a catch off Woakes, who finished with six wickets as the tourists reduced their hosts to 249 for nine at stumps.

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