England are set to announce their first Test squad of the summer on Saturday, to play South Africa at Lord's next Thursday, with significant question marks over the fitness and make-up of their bowling attack.
Here, Press Association Sport looks at the doubts and some possible reinforcements.
TREATMENT ROOM JAKE BALL The Nottinghamshire seamer has been ruled out of the Royal London One-Day Cup final, and the first Proteas clash, after suffering a knee strain in this week's round of day/night County Championship matches. The 26-year-old was inked in for a squad place and would have been pushing for a fourth Test cap.
CHRIS WOAKES Probably England's form bowler over the past 18 months across all formats, the Warwickshire man picked up a side strain in the Champions Trophy opener against Bangladesh and is still in recovery. Side issues are a notoriously thorny issue for fast men and England will treat him with kid gloves as they seek to avoid any recurrence.
STUART BROAD England's trusted new-ball general has been sidelined due to a problem with his left heel. The injury was not initially thought to be a worry but scans have proved inconclusive and the 31-year-old has been undergoing fitness tests at Lord's in a bid to be fit for both Nottinghamshire's final appearance and the first Investec Test. Posting on Twitter about his hopes of getting the green light he said: "desperate is an understatement".
BEN STOKES The all-action all-rounder has been curbed somewhat in recent months by a knee injury, meaning he has not always been able to perform a full bowling role for the one-day side. He is available for selection, and the combination of an injection and a conditioning programme should help, but there will be a natural aversion to overloading such a key performer.
JAMES ANDERSON AND MARK WOOD At present these two are the fittest of England's frontline options and can all but guarantee their participation at the home of cricket. But Anderson is touching 35 and Wood's fitness record over several years, including this winter, has been poor. The prospect of either breaking down mid-match is far from impossible.
NEXT IN LINE STEVEN FINN With 36 Tests and 125 wickets under his belt, the Middlesex man offers experience and proven pedigree. But his stock has been on the wane for some time and his last Test appearance in Dhaka last October was not his finest hour. The selectors may be moving on.
TOBY ROLAND-JONES Takes the new ball at Middlesex ahead of Finn and knows Lord's like the back of his hand. Has been on the fringes of the international scene for some time and, though at 29 he is far from a rookie prospect, England were interested enough to blood him in the 50-over side in May.
LIAM PLUNKETT Not seen in the Test arena since 2014 but a cornerstone of the white-ball side. Plunkett was called up for the ongoing England Lions match against the South Africans when Jamie Overton withdrew. If England were to select from the second string he is a more likely call-up than the callow Tom Helm or George Garton.
CRAIG OVERTON Jamie's twin brother has been mentioned as an Ashes bolter, he fits the profile of the hard, bouncy pitches Down Under, and has been around the block for a while. Came close to an England bow in the Twenty20 series against South Africa and will wear the Three Lions sooner rather than later.
Source: PA
