Farbrace: 'When needed Bairstow will be okay'

The England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow suffered a fracture in the tip of his middle finger while gathering a ball from James Anderson on the third day morning. He immediately left the field, with Jos Buttler replacing him behind the stumps.

Jonny Bairstow suffered a fracture in the tip of his middle finger while gathering a ball from James Anderson on Monday.

The England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow suffered a fracture in the tip of his middle finger while gathering a ball from James Anderson on the third day morning. He immediately left the field, with Jos Buttler replacing him behind the stumps. “It wobbled and I just copped it on the end. It just goes numb after the ice bath. The first 30 seconds were pretty horrendous. It is a fracture, but it's not displaced and that is a big thing. We are hopeful that a bit more ice overnight and some protection [will help]," he said.

England's assistant coach, Paul Farbrace was hopeful Bairstow would be able to bat in the second innings. It remains to be seen, though, if he will be able to take part in the last two Tests. “The doctor's been working on him this evening to relieve a bit of pressure in the nail, so hopefully when needed he’ll be OK,” Farbrace said.

“A lot will depend on how the next few days go, and the soreness in terms of catching balls on a consistent basis. I’m no expert on broken fingers, but because it’s not a displaced break, he should be OK, and it’s just a case of managing the pain level as opposed to doing any further damage.”