England pace spearhead James Anderson faces a battle to be fit for the opening Test against South Africa in July after scans confirmed he had suffered a tear to his right groin when playing for Lancashire in the county championship.

Anderson, England's leading Test wicket-taker, limped off midway through his sixth over on Friday against Yorkshire at Old Trafford and did not bowl again in the match.

The 34-year-old will miss Lancashire's return fixture against Yorkshire starting June 2 as he will be assessed by England's medical team to understand the extend of the injury.

Anderson, who missed four of England's last 10 Tests with a shoulder injury, could still feature in three county matches in June to prove his fitness ahead of the international season.