Essex and England's Tom Westley avoids break after being hit on thumb

Tom Westley's Ashes prospects remain intact after X-rays on his right thumb revealed no serious injury.

The Essex and England batsman is still in contention to be named in this winter's Ashes squad, revealed at the Kia Oval on Wednesday morning, and he will also be able to bat in the second innings for the county champions in their last Specsavers Division One match of the season against Yorkshire at Chelmsford.

Westley, who was dismissed for just 13 on day one of four by the delivery from Steve Patterson which reared sharply and hit him on the glove, left soon afterwards for X-rays - but returned reassured by late afternoon.

The 28-year-old's place at No 3 for England, after a mixed start to his Test career brought him an average of just 24 in five matches this summer, is nonetheless far from secure.

Previous incumbent Gary Ballance is fit again and appears to head alternative contenders.

Westley's team-mate Simon Harmer said after close of play at Chelmsford: "He needed to go off for a scan. We just needed to make sure there was nothing wrong. The scan didn't show up anything major.

"He has got bigger things that await hopefully. I think he will be good to go tomorrow."

"He's a massive cog in our batting line-up and it would be a massive loss if he'd done any serious damage, but thankfully he didn't.

"He's back in the changing room, back to his normal self - full of rubbish!"