England sweat on Roy's hamstring injury

England opener Jason Roy has been forced from the field with an recurrence of the a left hamstring injury early in their bowling innings against the West Indies in Southampton.

Roy, fielding at point, turned and set off to the boundary to chase a shot from Windies opener Chris Gayle that had been lofted towards the boundary in the eighth over.

Match Centre: England v West Indies

Roy pulled up hobbling after a couple of meters clutching at his left hamstring, and looked dejected as he spoke with captain Eoin Morgan, who promptly signalled to the dressing room for a change.

Roy was replaced by substitute fielder James Vince, with his ability to bat in the match unclear.

England later advised Roy was experiencing "some tightness in his left hamstring" and was "currently being assessed".

He had clubbed the tournament's highest score so far when he hit 153 against Bangladesh in Cardiff in England's last game, and also hit 54 in their first match against South Africa at The Oval.

Roy has a history of hamstring problems.

He injured the left hamstring warming up for an ODI against the West Indies in Grenada in February, which kept him out of the opening County Championship fixtures with his club side Surrey.

On his return with Surrey he suffered back spasms while batting and had to retire hurt but was able to return to the crease later in the match, but did not field.

Image Id: 378DC4D2F40649A38B7F0702C0328CC1 Image Caption: Roy suffers back spasms with Surrey in April // Getty

Roy's form has many touting him as a potential Test opener in this year's Ashes Test series that will be played after the World Cup.

England captain Eoin Morgan said Roy was a "luxury" to have a player that had passed 150 in three of his nine ODI centuries.

"People in general, talk about scoring hundreds. He's an exception to the rule," Morgan said.

"He just goes on and get big scores. The rate he can get them at is so difficult to defend. He scores all the way around the ground, he takes really good bowlers down, he hits good balls for boundaries. He's great to have in the side.

"I've said this before: I do think he could play Test cricket at some stage. I think he has every attribute to be a Test cricketer."

Roy has had an eventful World Cup already – he dropped a simple chance off Mohammed Hafeez who went on to make a match-winning 84 in England's defeat to Pakistan.

He was later fined 15 per cent of his match for "uttering an audible obscenity" after another misfield a little later in the innings.

And on reaching his century against Bangladesh he comically crashed into umpire Joel Wilson to send the official sprawling and land flat on his back.

Last August, Roy was left "extremely embarrassed" after suffering an injury when his bat, which he had thrown to the ground in frustration, bounced back and hit him in the face.

The 28-year-old was dismissed for a golden duck, bowled by Hampshire's 17-year-old Afghan spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman, while playing for Surrey in a Twenty20 game on Wednesday. 

"I'm extremely embarrassed and apologetic to my team mates and fans for this moment of stupidity," Roy said of the self-inflicted injury.

"Following my dismissal on Wednesday evening, I threw my bat into the ground purely out of self-frustration. It bounced, hit me, and as a result I sustained the injury.

"I've never been so motivated and so positive about my game, and I assure you I will learn from my mistake as I am my own biggest critic."

2019 World Cup

Australia's squad: Aaron Finch (c), Jason Behrendorff, Alex Carey (wk), Nathan Coulter-Nile, Pat Cummins, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa

June 1: Australia beat Afghanistan by seven wickets

June 6: Australia beat West Indies by 15 runs

June 9: Australia lost to India by 36 runs

June 12: Australia beat Pakistan by 41 runs

June 15: Sri Lanka v Australia, The Oval

June 20: Australia v Bangladesh, Trent Bridge

June 25: England v Australia, Lord's

June 29: New Zealand v Australia, Lord's (D/N)

July 6: Australia v South Africa, Old Trafford (D/N)

July 9: Semi-Final 1, Old Trafford

July 11: Semi-Final 2, Edgbaston

July 14: Final, Lord's

Sync Australia's World Cup schedule to your calendar HERE

For a full list of all World Cup fixtures, click HERE