England are in danger of going into the business end of the summer without their best bowler with news that Jimmy Anderson is a major injury doubt for the first Test against Pakistan at Lord’s.

England’s record wicket-taker has a stress fracture of his right shoulder blade and is facing a race to be fit for the first of four Tests on July 14.

The shoulder has troubled Anderson for some time but he was able to bowl through it until he felt it go after delivering his very last ball on the rain-ruined final day of the final Test against Sri Lanka at Lord’s.

Jimmy Anderson could miss the first test against Pakistan next month due to a shoulder injury

Anderson (right) suffered a stress fracture of his right shoulder blade bowling his last ball against Sri Lanka

He now seems certain to miss Lancashire’s Championship game against Notts next month that was meant to be his only red-ball practice ahead of England’s most important assignment of the season.

His absence would be a huge blow for an England team who need to defeat Pakistan to complete the set of Test trophies after reclaiming the one on offer against Sri Lanka.

The leader of England’s attack remains at the peak of his powers approaching his 34th birthday and was superb in the 2-0 victory over Sri Lanka, claiming 21 wickets in three Tests to take his Test tally to 454. The injury is not as bad as a fracture might sound but it could be that Anderson (below) will have to wait until the second Test on his home ground of Old Trafford before he can play.

The good news is that Ben Stokes is ahead of schedule in his recovery from knee surgery and made his return, as a batsman only, for Durham in their Twenty20 Blast game against Yorkshire at Chester-le-Street last night.

England's record wicket-taker now faces a race to be fit in time for the first Test at Lords on July 14

Anderson was at his best against Sri Lanka claiming 21 wickets in three Tests to take his Test tally to 454

Stokes was due to make his return in club cricket for Newcastle CC on Friday but Durham were so pleased with his progress that they brought it forward.

If all goes well he will bowl next week and should be fit for the first Test, meaning he could come in for Anderson and delay any difficult selection decision England may face, with Chris Woakes impressing as Stokes replacement.

England will have to make at least one change, with Scott Borthwick and, perhaps, Jos Buttler in the frame to replace Nick Compton. But it was intriguing at Edgbaston to see England coach Trevor Bayliss deep in conversation with something of a forgotten man in Ian Bell. Perhaps the Warwickshire captain may be returning to contention.

Another man who will surely soon be pushing for a regular Test place is Adil Rashid, who was again outstanding in the second one-day international on Friday as Sri Lanka were restricted to 254 for seven on a flat pitch.

England all-rounder Ben Stokes continued his recovery from a knee injury by featuring for Durham

Stokes only batted in the Championship match against Yorkshire but is ahead of his original schedule

Rashid barely bowled a loose ball in the tied opening game at Trent Bridge without taking a wicket but was even better at Edgbaston, claiming two victims and again going at fewer than four runs an over.

‘There was a little bit in it for me and I think as a team we bowled exceptionally well to keep them to that score,’ said Rashid in the break between innings.

‘On certain days it’s good to stick to basics and bowl the same ball time and again. I feel good and it has come out nicely in these last two games.’

Bayliss believes England will not be able to fully realise their potential in the Test game unless they have a world-class spinner and Rashid looked a little out of his depth against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates last winter.

Leg-spinner Adil Rashid has continued to make a case for his inclusion in the Test side in ODIs

But the Yorkshireman is maturing and will put pressure on his close friend Moeen Ali if he carries on like this, even though Moeen cemented his place for the immediate future with a big hundred in the second Test at Durham.

Sri Lanka, who looked to have finished under-par when they scored 286 in Durham before they had England on the rack, struggled to make an impact in the face of an excellent performance on Friday from Eoin Morgan’s men in the field.

Rashid was the pick of the attack but Liam Plunkett, who earned that thrilling Trent Bridge tie with a six off the final ball, bowled better than he did in Nottingham to finish with two for 49.

The only surprise was that Woakes, man of the match at Trent Bridge for a superb all-round display, bowled only eight overs as Sri Lanka again found him a difficult proposition.