Hampshire Under-19 captain Steve Snell could miss the opening month of the new cricket season after fracturing his jaw practising with the MCC Young Cricketers in the Nursery ground nets at Lord's.
Snell, who helped guide the Hampshire YC's into last season's ECB Under-19 County Championship final, has broken his jaw in three places.
"I'm in a bit of a mess," he confessed. "I was batting in the nets when a ball reared up and hit me beneath the grill on my helmet."
Snell underwent surgery in a Hampstead hospital and has had a metal plate inserted to hold his jaw together.
"I've also got all my teeth wired up," he added.
Snell, who will miss Havant's opening defence of the ECB Southern Electric Premier League Championship, had just started his second year on the Lord's groundstaff.
"We'd just come back from pre-season training in Lanzarotte and I was raring to go," he rued.
"Then this happens."
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