Mahmood out of WIndies series

Sajid Mahmood has lost his chance of breaking into the England squad for the West Indies series after having to undergo a double hernia operation which will force him out of cricket for six weeks.

This forces Mahmood out of consideration for the two remaining Tests, and the Twenty20 and ODI series.

Mahmood has played eight Tests and 25 one-day internationals for a bowling average of 38 in both forms of the game.

Lancashire cricket manager Mike Watkinson told the BBC that “He has been having some discomfort since returning from the World Cup. Our medical staff decided we needed to find out the cause, and he will be having the operation next week.”