Jake Ball to undergo a scan for his knee injury

England pacer, Jake Ball is in the dreaded world of leg injuries ahead of the team’s upcoming Test series against South Africa. The four-match Test series begins at Lord’s next week. Ball sustained a knee injury on Tuesday while playing for Nottinghamshire, against Kent in the Specsavers County Championship.

This injury has come in at a crucial juncture for the England team. The national selectors are due to name the squad on Sunday morning for next week’s first Investec Test against South Africa at Lord’s. Further, Ball’s fellow Nottinghamshire and England bowler Stuart Broad is also doubtful for the series, owing to a heel injury.

Knee scan due for Jake Ball

Ball previously had to miss the ODI series in the West Indies with pain in the same right knee joint three months ago. The injury came back to haunt the 26-year-old while he was bowling for his side, Nottinghamshire against Kent. Although he’d since been untroubled for club and country cricket, he pulled up in his follow-through with evident discomfort, having bowled one delivery of his third over.

He looked fit enough to continue after receiving medical attention on the field but had to walk off eventually. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) had previously confirmed that Ball was set to have a scan on the injury on Wednesday morning. He now is awaiting the reports of the test, which will be the deciding factor in his inclusion or otherwise in the England team for the series against the Proteas.

England team plagued by injuries

Currently, the national selectors for the England Cricket team are in a spot of bother with quite a few of their players plagued with injuries. Apart from Ball and Broad, the hosts are definitely going to feel the absence of front line pacer, Chris Woakes, who pulled up with a side strain in the opening game of the Champions Trophy.

However, as a glimmer of hope, star pacer James Anderson and all-rounder Ben Stokes will both be returning from injury and should be fit to line up at Lord’s for the first Test.