Saqib Mahmood out for the season with stress fracture

No timeframe has been set for Mahmood's return, but it is a major blow to a seamer who impressed on his Test debut in the Caribbean

Saqib Mahmood has been ruled out for the rest of the season.

The England fast bowler has been diagnosed with a lumbar stress fracture.

The 24-year-old took four wickets in his single County Championship appearance for Lancashire during a win over Gloucestershire in April but has been missing since due to lower back pain. Subsequent scans revealed the extent of the injury.

No timeframe has been set for Mahmood's return, but it is a major blow to a seamer who impressed on his Test debut in the Caribbean and was rumoured to be close to an Ashes call-up over the winter.

Last summer, he spearheaded England's attack in an ODI series whitewash victory against Pakistan despite missing much of the first-choice white-ball side to Covid isolation.

^{Mahmood has been ruled out for the season (Jan Kruger/Getty Images)}

Mahmood is the latest member of England's fast-bowling stocks to go down with a long-term injury. Jofra Archer and Olly Stone are both on the comeback trail after lengthy layoffs, while Mark Wood underwent surgery on an elbow problem in late March.

Wood's Durham teammate, Brydon Carse, has only just returned to first-team action after missing the winter with a knee injury.