Steve Finn has been ruled out of England’s opening one day international in Sri Lanka today.

The Watford-born Middlesex player sustained a groin injury in practice and although England left a decision about his participation at the Premadasa Stadium until before the game got underway, they have chosen not to play him.

With James Anderson and Stuart Broad not on tour due to their own injury problems, the former Parmiter’s School pupil is the most experienced pace bowler available to England as they step up their preparations for the World Cup.

Speaking yesterday, captain Alastair Cook said: “Finny’s just pulled up with a little bit of a niggle from that training session we did on that washed-out day [when England’s second warm-up fixture was abandoned on Sunday due to rain].

“He’ll go through the usual assessment. He did not bowl yesterday, and we’ll see tomorrow morning about him.”

The 25-year-old did play in the tourists’ opening warm-up match on Friday, taking two for 43 off eight overs as Cook’s men beat Sri Lanka A by 56 runs under the Duckworth Lewis method.

The second game of the seven-match one day international series is in Colombo on Saturday.