Ashes 2017-18: England hopeful Haseeb Hameed breaks finger

Last season, Haseeb Hameed became the youngest batsman to score 1,000 runs for Lancashire

Ashes hopeful Haseeb Hameed broke a finger on the third day of Lancashire's County Championship match against Middlesex.

The 20-year-old opener was struck by James Harris and retired hurt on 23.

He returned when Lancashire were nine wickets down and 38 runs short of victory but did not add to his score, ending unbeaten as Middlesex won by 36 runs with a day to spare at Lord's.

England are expected to name their Ashes squad next week.

The first Test against Australia in Brisbane starts on 23 November.

Hameed has struggled for form this season, having only made one first-class half-century up until September. However, he scored 88 against Essex earlier this month and followed it up with 62 against Somerset.

He made his Test debut against India during the first match of the series in November 2016 and scored 31 and 82.

However, his tour ended prematurely when he broke his finger during the third Test.

That injury was a broken little finger on the left hand, whereas the new problem is a blow to the right hand.

Hameed's latest setback comes two days after Middlesex seamer Toby Roland-Jones, tipped to make the England squad, went down with a lower back complaint.