LONDON: Steven Finn will replaced injured fellow paceman Chris Woakes in England’s Champions Trophy squad, the International Cricket Council confirmed Sunday.

Woakes was ruled out of the rest of the 50-over tournament, which features the world’s top eight one-day international teams, with a side strain suffered while bowling just two overs at the start of England’s opening Group A win over Bangladesh at the Oval on Thursday.

The experienced Finn, 28, will join the England squad ahead of their second match of the tournament, against New Zealand in Cardiff on Tuesday.

“The ICC has confirmed that the event technical committee of the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 has approved Steven Finn as a replacement player for Chris Woakes in the England squad for the tournament,” said a brief statement from cricket’s global governing body.

Finn, a veteran of 69 ODIs, last played for England as recently as Monday when, on his Lord’s home ground, he featured in the final match of a one-day series against South Africa while Woakes was being rested with a thigh problem that healed in time for the Champions Trophy.

Middlesex fast bowler Finn was left out of England’s original squad for the tournament but could go straight into the XI to play New Zealand, if as happened at the Oval, they pick just the one specialist spinner.

Published in Dawn, June 5th, 2017