Injured Morgan doubtful for World Cup

England suffered another injury blow ahead of the World Cup after explosive batsman Eoin Morgan joined the growing list of casualties with broken left middle finger.

Morgan has been nursing a damaged hand for two matches and scans on Saturday revealed a fractured finger, casting serious doubts over his World Cup participation. He was also ruled out of Sunday's seventh and final One-Day International against Australia in Perth.

The 24-year-old batsman, who becomes the sixth member of England's 15-man World Cup squad to suffer a significant injury, broke the middle finger of his left hand but played two subsequent ODIs.

A final decision on Morgan's participation in the World Cup would be made once a specialist in Britain has assessed the injury, The Guardian reported.

The other injured players of England's squad namely Graeme Swann (knee/back), Tim Bresnan (calf), Ajmal Shahzad (hamstring) and Paul Collingwood (back) have flown home early from an arduous three-month long Ashes tour, while Stuart Broad is still recovering from an abdominal injury. Chris Tremlett, though not in the World Cup party, is considered an important reserve and he has flown home early with a side strain.

"We have got six guys injured and if you look a little further into some of the people on the field we have got some significant niggles that people are dealing with," said England coach Andy Flower.

The statement from the England and Wales Cricket Board read: "Eoin Morgan has been ruled out of the final One-Day International of the Commonwealth Bank Series in Perth with a fracture of the distal phalanx in the middle finger of his left hand. Morgan initially felt some discomfort during the One-Day International in Adelaide which has got progressively worse and an x-ray has revealed a fracture.

"Morgan will return to the UK and will see a specialist to determine the full extent of the injury and a treatment and rehabilitation schedule. A decision about his participation in the World Cup will be made following the specialist's assessment of the injury."