LONDON: James Anderson has suffered a “mild strain to his right groin” just a month before the Ashes get underway, the England and Wales Cricket Board announced late Sunday.

The 40-year-old Anderson, the most successful fast bowler in Test history with 685 wickets, sustained the injury on Thursday’s opening day of Lancashire’s County Championship match against Somerset at Old Trafford and took no further part in a match that ended in a draw on Sunday.

The ECB added Anderson’s fitness will be assessed nearer the time of the lone Test Test against Ireland at Lord’s starting on June 1.

England are due to name a squad for the Ireland game, which precedes a five-match Ashes series against arch-rivals Australia commencing on June 16, later this week.

Anderson had a scan on the injury on Saturday, with Lancashire coach Glen Chapple telling the BBC it was not “anything too serious”.

Nevertheless, England will want to avoid a repeat of the situation in the 2019 Ashes opener at Edgbaston where Anderson bowled just four overs before pulling out, having torn his calf playing for Lancashire.

With substitutes unable to bowl, his absence left a huge hole in England’s attack as Australia won by 251 runs.

That series ended in a 2-2 draw, with holders Australia retaining the Ashes.

Anderson’s latest injury adds to a growing list of fitness problems suffered by England fast bowlers, with Jofra Archer, Olly Stone and Brydon Carse all sidelined in recent weeks.

Archer returned from the Indian Premier League with a recurrence of his longstanding elbow problem, Stone suffered a hamstring injury playing for Nottinghamshire and Carse, uncapped at Test level, was laid low by a side injury playing for Durham.

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