England’s batting plans have been thrown into disarray by injuries to Jason Roy and Eoin Morgan during the game in Southampton against West Indies.
Both men had to go off the field during the West Indies innings. Roy, the opener, will be unable to bat until five wickets have fallen in the England innings, having gone off the field clutching his hamstring as early as in the eighth over. Morgan, who had back spasms, went off in the 40th over – the innings lasted 44.4 overs – and can’t walk out to bat for 28 minutes at the start of England’s chase.
Playing regulations stipulate that a “player shall not be permitted to bat in the match until his team’s batting innings has been in progress for the length of playing time that is equal to the unexpired penalty time [which means the amount of time for which the player has been off the field]” or until England have lost five wickets. Runners have been outlawed from international cricket since 2011.
Roy pulled up sharply while chasing a ball and subsequently left the field with what the England management described as “tightness to his left hamstring”. They later confirmed that he would not field for the rest of the innings.
The injury to Morgan looked worse. He ran towards the stumps at the non-striker’s end as the batsmen, Nicholas Pooran and Carlos Brathwaite, took a quick run, but then doubled up in pain close to the stumps. He went off immediately, Jos Buttler taking over leadership duties, and the back spasm was confirmed a little while later.
With England already going into the game one batsman short – they left out Moeen Ali to include an extra seamer – the injuries could prove crucial, even though the chase is a moderate 213.
Importantly, keeping in mind the rest of the tournament, England are also without their first-choice reserve opener, Alex Hales, who was dropped from the squad after the furore following the news that he had failed a drugs test.
Roy’s start to the season was delayed by a hamstring strain. It is currently unclear if the issues are related.