Woakes feels he’s ‘turned a corner’ with knee issues

Chris Woakes is optimistic his prospects of featuring in the World Cup and Ashes for England will not be jeopardised by a longstanding knee problem following a couple of injections to the area.

The Warwickshire seamer feels his fitness has “turned a corner” ahead of a bumper summer on home soil in which England are targeting a first global 50-over crown as well as regaining the urn they lost in Australia.

Woakes, a key pillar for England’s one-day side and certainly in the Test reckoning at the very least, had his winter disrupted by an injury that has consistently troubled him in recent times.

Memories of his Champions Trophy campaign being curtailed by a side strain after England’s opening match two years ago are still fresh in the memory. Woakes has therefore been doing his utmost since his return from the West Indies tour to strengthen the right knee that will not require an operation but which will need to be managed.

The 30-year-old said: “I feel like I’ll still be able to get through constant days of cricket. It’s in a better place than it was in the West Indies.

“I just found that in the Caribbean when it flared up a little bit, I struggled to get out of second gear and it just felt like I couldn’t really get going.

“Since getting back it’s been good to have a couple of injections, settle it down, build a bit of strength around it and do a bit of rehab. I feel like I’ve turned a corner with it.

“At the minute, surgery is not an option. As a fast bowler you’re always going to have something that’s sore, so if that’s the only thing that’s sore I’ll take that.”

England are due to name their 15-man World Cup squad later this month.