Champions Trophy: ICC pave way for Finn to step in for Woakes

Woakes has been ruled out of the remainder of the tournament with the side-strain injury he suffered early in Thursday’s comfortable victory over Bangladesh at The Oval.

England had to apply to the ICC for Finn’s inclusion to be ratified, in accordance with regulations for global tournaments.

A brief statement from the world governing body read: “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.”

Finn has 69 one-day international caps and was in action for his country less than a week ago on his home ground against South Africa at Lord’s, when Woakes was being rested with a thigh niggle which cleared up before the start of the Champions Trophy.

The Middlesex paceman was not chosen, however, in England’s initial squad for the tournament.

England are “very comfortable” with the security arrangements being applied to the Champions Trophy after the terror attack in central London.

Finn, who joined his team-mates in Cardiff yesterday to prepare for their next match against New Zealand after being called up, reported that England will be in the right frame of mind to press on with their campaign.

Finn, officially added to the squad yesterday morning in place of the injured Chris Woakes, is reassured by the measures being taken by the International Cricket Council to make the safety of players and spectators the top priority over the next two weeks.

The ICC announced yesterday that the Champions Trophy will continue under ‘’significantly enhanced security’’, measures which were put into place after the previous week’s terror attack in Manchester.

“We’re fully supportive of the security plans that are in place,” Finn said.

“We’ve been briefed on how we’re going to be protected ... so we’re all very comfortable that there’s a ring of steel around [the tournament].

“Everyone who is within the ground and we ourselves will be safe – and as long as our minds are at ease with that, we’ll be right to play cricket.”

A clutch of England players remained in London over the weekend, following Thursday’s opening win over Bangladesh, but none was close to being caught up in the attacks that left seven people dead and a further 48 injured on Saturday night.

Finn added: “I think a few guys had trouble getting home from dinner, because of the areas of London that had been cordoned off.

“But I think a few went home and were doing their own things, so luckily no one was involved.”