Tom Hartley has been forced to withdraw from the England Lions tour of Australia because of injury.

The Lancashire left-arm spinner, 25, suffered a fractured hand in practice in Brisbane.

Hartley, who played all five Tests on England’s tour of India last year, will immediately return home where he will be assessed by Lancashire’s medical teams ahead of the start of the county season in April.

The Lions have two four-day fixtures against a Cricket Australia XI followed by an unofficial four-day Test against Australia, all later this month.