'Like someone sticking a knife in my side'

Chris Woakes knew his Champions Trophy was over as soon as he left the field against Bangladesh after bowling just two overs, having sustained a side strain which felt like "someone sticking a knife in my side".

Scans following the match on Thursday evening revealed the extent of his injury, which could also make him a doubt for the start of the Test series against South Africa which begins on July 6. A replacement for England's Champions Trophy squad is expected to be named late on Saturday after England Lions - who include two contenders in Steven Finn and Tom Curran - complete their second one-day match against South Africa A.

"I finished two overs but it was probably on the third or fourth ball of the second over that it felt like something had become tight in my side," Woakes said. "I managed to finish the over but, by the last ball, I knew that something really wasn't right. To a certain extent, it felt like someone was sticking a knife in my side. That was why I didn't come back out.

"I knew yesterday that it wasn't going to be good news. It was then a matter of seeing how bad it would be on the scan results.

"The toughest thing as a bowler is having to come off after only bowling a couple of overs. Leaving the guys out there with almost 10 men is difficult to take, so I'm really pleased the boys managed to get over the line with a win."

Woakes had gone into the Bangladesh match nursing a tight quad that led to his omission from the final two matches of England's recent ODI series against South Africa, but he seemed back to his best when he opened the tournament with a maiden to Tamim Iqbal.

He was one of three players - along with Ben Stokes, who is also managing a knee injury, and Jos Buttler - who had extended stays at the IPL, but Woakes insisted he returned from the tournament feeling in tip-top condition.

"When I came back from the IPL, my body felt as good as it can be. I felt in a good space physically and mentally, and I was confident too because I bowled well out there," he said. "There were no signs of my side being tight or sore before the game yesterday, so it's just one of those things and you have to take it on the chin."

England captain Eoin Morgan said after the Bangladesh game that Woakes had not been rushed back from the quad niggle. "He was chomping at the bit to play," he said. "If we rushed him, he might have played the last game of the [South Africa] one-day series but we didn't want to rush him."

While a timescale for Woakes' recovery remains uncertain, things can get especially tricky if the injury involves damage to the intercostal muscles, because, even when fully recovered, fast bowlers in particular find it hard to hit the crease with their usual aggression for fear of suffering a relapse.

"I will rehab it as well as I can," Woakes said. "I'll listen to the medical staff, they know exactly what they are doing. We will be as professional as possible and try and get back as soon as possible.

"I don't want to set a target to come back, I want to take it day-by-day and build it back up to return as soon as possible. I've never had a side strain before but, as a bowler, it's one of those injuries that is important not to risk."

In Woakes' absence, England's remaining bowlers did enough to limit Bangladesh to an obtainable 305 for 6. However, their seam attack remains a cause for concern. Jake Ball - included in place of the legspinner Adil Rashid - struggled for form, conceding 82 runs in his ten overs, while doubts still linger over Stokes' ability to bowl a full spell following his knee injury.

The likeliest replacement is Finn, who was considered unlucky to have missed out on original selection for the squad, in spite of his occasionally erratic form in recent months. He signalled his readiness for a recall by claiming three wickets for England Lions against South Africa A on Thursday.

Other candidates could be Toby Roland-Jones, the Middlesex seamer who made his debut against South Africa at Lord's and offers batting ability, or Surrey's Tom Curran who was called up to the tour of West Indies earlier this year.

Given that England are now in the midst of a global tournament, another strong candidate could have been Stuart Broad, a proven international performer who has not been a regular member of the one-day set-up since the end of the 2015 World Cup, but was drafted into the tour of South Africa last winter. However, it is understood that he is not under consideration.