England captain unhappy about circumstances of Denly injury
Joe Denly's injury is likely to end the practice of England's cricket team playing football as a warm-up, admits captain Andrew Strauss.
Denly hurt his left knee in a coming together with Owais Shah during a kickabout on the outfield at The Oval on Thursday and has been sent to hospital for a scan to determine the extent of the problem.
The Kent opener is a major doubt for the opening game of the seven-match NatWest Series against Australia at the Surrey venue on Friday.
It is not the first mishap to have occured during the England squad's football exploits - Matt Prior suffered a back spasm in the chaotic build-up to the fourth Ashes Test at Headingley earlier in the summer, although he recovered sufficiently to play in the innings defeat.
"The reason we've played football in the past is because it's something the guys enjoy and it's a good way of getting the blood flowing," Strauss told Sky Sports after Thursday's incident.
"We feel that, if it's played sensibly, the chance of someone getting injured is very slight.
No tackling
"Unfortuntately it's happened today and, if people are going to get injured playing it, then we have to look at it.
"Up until this stage we've never had anyone missing any cricket through playing it, but this looks as if he (Denly) might well miss tomorrow's game at the least.
"You'd like to think the players would be sensible enough in the warm-up not to take it too far - I think they did today and so we are definitely going to have to look at it.
"When we do play football in the morning we have a 'no tackling rule' but I'm not sure it was heeded today."
