The Essex and England wicket-keeper James Foster today broke his left thumb while playing for his county against Glamorgan in the Frizzell County Championship at Chelmsford.

An X-ray this lunchtime on the injured thumb revealed a non-displaced fracture and, at this stage, it is anticipated that he will miss four to six weeks' cricket.

Foster will see a specialist tomorrow for a further assessment of the injury which took place while he was keeping wicket standing back to the bowling of John Stephenson.

The 22-year-old, who made his England Test debut last winter in India, returned to the Essex side at Southgate last week against Middlesex following a two-month lay-off with a fractured forearm.

James Foster said: "This is a huge blow for me coming so soon after breaking my arm earlier in the season. The early indications are that I could be out for a while, but we will have a clearer idea once I have seen the specialist tomorrow."

© ECB