Joe Denly is left in pain after suffering an injury during a football kickabout Picture: Press Association

Joe Denly could miss England’s opening one-day international against Australia at the Brit Oval on Friday after twisting his knee during a football kickabout with his team-mates.

The 23-year-old Kent opener faces a scan on his left knee after colliding with Middlesex batsman Owais Shah during Thursday’s practice session.

Denly toppled forwards after the collision, catching his leg in the turf as he lost balance and had to be helped up the pavilion steps by physio Kirk Russell and the team security advisor Reg Dickason.

England team spokesman James Avery said: "He is being assessed by the physio and until that happens we won't know any more about Joe's condition.

"We're waiting for medical staff to have a close look at him."

Denly scored 67 from 111 balls on his ODI debut against Ireland last Thursday, and though he followed up with a golden duck in the first abandoned Twenty20 fixture at Old Trafford, he was expected to retain his place for Friday's match, despite the return of England's captain, Andrew Strauss.

Denly is not the first England player to pick up an injury while playing football in the warm-ups. James Anderson twisted his ankle during an end-of-day warm-down during the Wellington Test in March 2008, while Ian Bell turned his right ankle in the indoor nets ahead of this summer's third Test at Edgbaston. Earlier this summer wicketkeeper Matt Prior suffered back spasms on the morning of the Headingley Test against the Aussies, and played with the assistance of pain-killing injections.