England's Morgan out of World Cup

LONDON: England batsman Eoin Morgan has been ruled out of the World Cup with a broken finger, coach Andy Flower told a news conference here on Tuesday.

Left-hander Morgan's place in England's 15-man World Cup squad will be taken by Essex all-rounder Ravi Bopara.

Former Ireland international Morgan missed England's final one-day international (ODI) against Australia in Perth on Sunday with the injury, which he suffered in the ODI in Adelaide last month.

Although he endured a tough tour of Australia, failing to break into the Test side and then struggling for form in the ODIs, which the tourists lost 6-1, Morgan's innovative middle-order batting was considered crucial to England's World Cup hopes.

The 24-year-old has played 61 ODIs, scoring 1,094 runs at an average of 38.08, and at an impressive strike-rate of 81.19, including four centuries.