Plunkett leaves Lions tour with thigh strain

Durham pace bowler Liam Plunkett has been forced out of the England Lions tour to the West Indies after sustaining a left thigh strain.

Plunkett, 25, will return to Durham to continue his rehabilitation and is expected to be fully fit ahead of the start of the domestic season. In February Plunkett flew from West Indies to Australia to play for England's injury-hit ODI squad but returned to West Indies before picking up an injury of his own.

Leicestershire's Nathan Buck will now remain with the England Lions squad for the final three matches of the tour against Guyana, Windward Islands and Jamaica. Buck was originally selected on the fast bowling programme and spent the early part of the winter on a conditioning programme at the National Cricket Performance Centre in Loughborough.

He was called into the England Lions squad in January for the early part of the tour and has remained with the squad, who are currently unbeaten in the regional four-day competition.