England are awaiting scan results on Jofra Archer's right elbow but the paceman looks increasingly unlikely to feature in Friday's second Test against South Africa in Cape Town.
Archer, 24, has been suffering with soreness since taking six wickets in the series opener – that England lost by 107 runs in Pretoria – and was restricted to a handful of gentle deliveries in training on Wednesday.
And in a further blow for the tourists, opener Rory Burns is also now having a scan after injuring his left ankle playing football in practice.
England would have wanted Archer to play a full part in nets on the eve of the game if he was to take the field at Newlands but captain Joe Root did not appear optimistic.
"We are still waiting to hear back results-wise from his scan, then we will play it by ear. It was obviously quite disappointing to see him pull up like that," he said.
"Of course, he will be a big loss if he is not able to play but it will also be an opportunity for someone else. I think it's a recurring injury, something that he has had before.
"He had a little trundle after our fielding practice and seemed to be in a little bit of pain. He pulled up very sore."
England would be loath to go into the match without their quickest bowler, particularly with Mark Wood also unavailable, but are also mindful not to push their breakthrough star of 2019 to the limit.
Root said : "That is something you want to manage in a young talent like Jofra, making sure that we don't blow him out for six months and make sure we get the most out of him for as long as we can.
"You look at his short career and he has had big impacts on a lot of moments in big Test matches."
Archer's injury adds to the tale of woe the tourists have been subjected to since arriving in South Africa on December 14 after 10 players contracted a flu virus.
"It's been frustrating throughout, but these things happen in sport and you got to manage them as best you can and we are trying to do everything we can to make sure that if anyone does pick up illness or injury, others are fit and ready to go," said Root.
It could prove a reprieve for England's record wicket taker James Anderson, whose tepid performance in Pretoria suggested he might be sacrificed for a spinner on what is expected to be a docile Newlands wicket.
The tourists will decide whether to persist with a bowling attack of five seamers or bring in the spin of Matthew Parkinson or Dominic Bess.
But England were still some way off a final selection, with spinner Jack Leach not being considered after being badly affected by illness. "Everything is still on the table as it stands," said Root. "We'll make a decision on the surface when we've had a closer look at it, maybe even tomorrow morning."
"With not knowing exactly how Jofra is, it might change the way we balance the side up."
