Saqib Mahmood faces additional setback amid fears of stress fracture flare-up
Saqib Mahmood will go to a specialist in London subsequent week amid considerations {that a} stress response in his again might rule him out for the remainder of the English summer season.
Mahmood, who has performed for England in all three worldwide codecs, has solely performed 5 video games for Lancashire this season, two within the County Championship and three within the T20 Blast.
He has not performed in any respect within the final month attributable to damage and ESPNcricinfo understands there’s concern that he might miss the remainder of the season, together with Lancashire’s Blast and Championship campaigns and the Hundred, the place he’s beneath contract with Oval Invincibles.
Lancashire anticipate that his session initially of subsequent week will present a clearer indication on the precise nature of his damage and the timeframe for a possible return. The membership declined to remark when contacted.
Another damage could be a merciless blow for Mahmood, who missed all however one recreation of the 2022 season with a lower-back stress fracture which was recognized weeks after he made his Test debut for England within the Caribbean.
He made his aggressive comeback for England Lions in Sri Lanka earlier this 12 months, and was then a part of the ODI squad on England’s tour to Bangladesh, returning figures of 0 for 41 from his 9 overs in his solely look.
There is a few optimistic damage news for Lancashire, with Richard Gleeson included in a matchday squad for the primary time this season after a wrist damage forward of Friday night time’s fixture in opposition to Derbyshire. Steven Croft additionally returns following a calf damage.
Lancashire sit fourth within the North Group of the Blast because the preliminary levels strategy their climax, with a recreation in hand on third-placed Nottinghamshire. All three of their remaining fixtures are at Emirates Old Trafford, the place they’ve a 100% file this season.