The ECB released a statement on Sunday confirming England and Lancashire seamer James Anderson has sustained a mild strain to his right groin.
Anderson was missing for a third-straight day as Lancashire’s County Championship clash with Somerset ended in a draw, with head coach Glen Chapple saying after the game: “I don’t think it’s anything too serious.”
The ECB said that Anderson’s fitness “will be assessed nearer the time of the LV= Insurance Test match against Ireland, which takes place at Lord’s starting on Thursday 1 June 2022.”
They will be hoping that Anderson’s injury does not make him a doubt for the opening Test of the Ashes at Edgbaston on Friday June 16, with their bowling stocks already depleted by injuries to pace pair Jofra Archer and Olly Stone.
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Archer returned early from the Indian Premier League due to discomfort in his troublesome right elbow, while Stone faces several weeks on the sidelines after injuring his hamstring on duty for Nottinghamshire.
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Anderson took 2-16 from 14 metronomic overs on day one of the match against Somerset at Emirates Old Trafford before leaving the field with what was described at the time as a “minor issue”.
Lancashire head coach Chapple said after the game: “Jimmy bowled really well in the first innings.
“He’s just irritated his groin. I don’t think it’s anything too serious.
“We should be positive about his recovery, but obviously he had done it badly enough not to take any part in the game today.
“It just seems like a tweaked groin to me.”
The 40-year-old Anderson is England’s leading Test wicket-taker, with 685 wickets over 179 Test appearances. He is the third on the all-time list in world cricket, trailing only legendary spin pair Muttiah Muralitharan (800) and Shane Warne (708).
Anderson managed just four overs in the last home series against Australia in 2019, being ruled out with a calf problem on the opening morning of the series.