England is sweating on the fitness of Moeen Ali, its first drop and specialist spinner, after the veteran suffered a groin injury on day one of the fifth Ashes Test.
Moeen was on 11 when he pulled up lame while running between the wickets during the second session, and although he carried on to make a rapid 34 runs after receiving medical attention in the middle, he didn't take to the field when it was England's turn to bowl.
The injury blow has rattled England in its pursuit of a series-levelling victory at The Oval.
"Moeen Ali has a right groin injury," the England and Wales Cricket Board posted on Twitter during the third session.
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"He will continue to be assessed and will not field for the rest of today."
Moeen lost his wicket at The Oval when he tried to swat Australian off-spinner Todd Murphy across the line, only to miss the ball and have his stumps rattled.
Since being elevated from England's lower order to first drop in the fourth innings of the third Test, Moeen has tallied five, 54 and 34.
The 36-year-old has struggled to trouble the Australians with the ball since being pulled out of retirement for this series following Jack Leach's injury blow.
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Having not played red-ball cricket since September 2021, his spinning finger deteriorated badly in the first Test.
He was docked 25 per cent of his first-Test match fee after being spotted using a drying agent on his spinning finger.
He completed 47 overs in the first Test but was visibly hindered by his finger falling apart.
Moeen finished with three wickets at Edgbaston, missed the Lord's Test, took two wickets at Headingley and bagged one wicket at Old Trafford.
A silver lining for the English is part-time off-spinner Joe Root has caused the Australians headaches in this series.
England captain Ben Stokes was frustrated when the umpires ruled on day four of the Old Trafford Test that he could no longer bowl his quicks, but Root was brought on and made the going difficult for Marnus Labuschagne.
He almost had Labuschagne caught at first slip on 93, before having Australia's first drop caught behind on 111.
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