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Eoin Morgan was due to see a specialist today to learn whether he has any chance of competing for England in the World Cup, which starts in Asia in 12 days.

Morgan, arguably the team's most important one-day batsman, is the latest name added to the list of injury concerns for coach Andy Flower after X-rays showed he had fractured the middle finger of his left hand during the fourth one-day international against Australia in Adelaide on 26 January.

Depending on the specialist's verdict, Morgan might still be retained in the squad, even if he is not ready to play a significant part in the first phase of the World Cup. Regardless of the 24-year-old's talents, it is a substantial risk to include an injured player in a small squad, especially when there are also other men struggling.

Morgan left Perth before England's 57-run defeat by Australia at the WACA yesterday, which sealed a 6-1 series defeat for Andrew Strauss' Ashes winners. The remaining players are scheduled to arrive at Heathrow tomorrow.

Yet while the heavy defeat will concern Strauss and Flower, it is the number of injuries sustained during the campaign that provides greater cause for alarm.

Morgan is the sixth member of England's 15-man World Cup squad with doubts over his fitness just 15 days before their tournament opener against Holland in Nagpur, India. Paul Collingwood (right) is struggling with a back problem, while bowlers Ajmal Shahzad (hamstring), Tim Bresnan (calf) and Graeme Swann (back) have missed some of the one-day series. Stuart Broad has not played since tearing a stomach muscle during the Second Ashes Test in Adelaide in December.

Strauss admitted that the extent of Morgan's injury had caught England's back-room team unawares. "They went for an X-ray and I think everyone was reasonably surprised to see it was quite a substantial fracture. There's obviously a chance that he's not going to feature [in the World Cup]. He just thought it was bruised. He got on with it but just when he was thinking it would start feeling better it got worse and it was restricting his play.

"He is important, particularly in sub-continental conditions, because he is able to clear the ropes. Potentially, it is a big loss for us. Hopefully there will be an opportunity for him to play. If he isn't available, someone is going to have to fill those shoes."

England's build-up for the World Cup has been chaotic, then, but it does not compare with that experienced by Pakistan.

Former captain Salman Butt and bowlers Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif were all banned for five years over the weekend for their part in the spot-fixing scandal at Lord's last summer, with Amir and Asif ruled to have bowled no-balls deliberately during that game. Amir, 18, is due to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

International Cricket Council chief executive Haroon Lorgat is sure the World Cup will be free of more scandal as the anti-corruption unit are beefing up their presence at the tournament.

He said: "The vast majority of players are honest and are not seeking to make gains out of untoward means. However, we are alive to what could come to the fore in terms of corruption. I am satisfied we will have measures in place at the World Cup [to deal with that]."

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