Gayle's possible absence will not alter England's thinking

Gayle’s one-day international comeback faltered after just one match when he injured himself in the warm-up before yesterday’s near washout at Trent Bridge, where a no-result after England were able to reach 21 for no wicket in the 2.2 overs possible leaves them 1-0 up with three more matches to play.

The big-hitting veteran had previously given England a brief demonstration that he retains all his destructive power hitting with three sixes and two fours from 27 balls at the start of the West Indies’ seven-wicket defeat at Old Trafford three days ago.

Gayle was all set to play again, on his 38th birthday, in Nottingham only to feel pain in his right leg and instead end up heading for scans on the injury in hospital.

The results were not known by the time the match was abandoned, leaving his involvement in Bristol on Sunday and beyond in doubt.

However, asked if it will be a relief if England do not have to bowl at him again in the series, England captain Morgan said: “I don’t think so, no.

“As I mentioned at the start of the series, the West Indies are probably a threat more so as a group than any individual they have within their team.

“Just because they’re missing one player, it doesn’t mean we’ll take them any more lightly in any game.”

West Indies coach Stuart Law is still optimistic that Gayle will be fit again by the weekend.

“Chris has been for scans,” he said.

“We don’t know the results of them just yet, but he tweaked a hamstring in the warm-up.

“We’ll monitor him and see how he’s going for Bristol.”

Gayle, replaced by Kyle Hope at the top of the order, ended up missing very little as rain set in terminally.

“He said he didn’t want to risk it, which is fair enough,” added Law.

“If you do a hamstring at 38, it takes a bit longer to heal than when you’re 18.

“We probably erred on the side of caution, which is probably the right thing, with three more games to play here.

“Fingers crossed, he’ll be okay to take part in all those three.”

Rain wiped out all but 10 minutes of England’s second Royal London Series match.

The day-night fixture began on time, but England got no further than 21-0 from 2.2 overs before a band of rain moved in and then proved more persistent than was forecast.

The match was therefore called off at 4.15pm.

Ashes hopeful Haseeb Hameed suffered a fractured finger as Lancashire lost to Middlesex in their Specsavers County Championship match at Lord’s.

The opener retired hurt after being struck on the glove by James Harris on day three of the Division One match, two days after Middlesex seamer Toby Roland-Jones, tipped for a place in the winter’s tour squad, went down with a lower back complaint that has required scans to assess the severity of the injury.

Lancashire tweeted after the close of play: “INJURY UPDATE: We can confirm that @LancsCCC opener Haseeb Hameed has fractured a finger on his right hand at Lord’s.”

Hameed, who flew home from last winter’s Test tour of India for surgery on a badly broken left hand, returned to bat in a vain attempt to stave off defeat but England will be anxiously waiting for updates.

He was left unbeaten as Steven Finn, himself on the fringes of the England selection picture, took 8-79 to bowl Middlesex to a 36-run win that gives their top-flight survival hopes a huge boost.