Corey Anderson has been ruled out of Somerset’s team for the NatWest T20 Blast game against Essex Eagles at Chelmsford today.
The overseas signing, who blasted 81 off just 45 balls on a spectacular debut against Surrey on Sunday, had earlier suffered a back injury when bowling the opening over of the match.
What was thought to be stiffness developed into a back spasm, but Somerset director of cricket Matthew Maynard is hopeful that Anderson will be fit for the away games against Glamorgan and Middlesex on Saturday and Sunday.
“Corey will have treatment to free up his back,” he said. “With a spasm, the muscles contract and don’t release so there is a lack of flexion.
“Hopefully, it is nothing serious and he will be available for what is a big weekend for us, with matches on successive days.
“It is very unfortunate that he has to miss the Essex game because his batting against Surrey was sensational and so nearly turned the game in our favour.”
Better news for Somerset is that Johann Myburgh, who missed the match at The Oval because of a hand injury, is expected to face Essex.
The South African is set to open the batting with skipper Jim Allenby as Somerset look to avoid a repeat of the collapse to 49 for six against Surrey.
Their top six batsmen managed only 40 runs between them and Maynard is looking for a major improvement against Essex.
He said: “There were a lot of positives to take out of the Surrey game for us, but clearly we can’t afford to lose wickets as quickly at the start of our innings.
“We had hauled Surrey back with some very good bowling after they went hard at the start of the innings and I was pretty confident when we restricted them to 181.”
Somerset have added 18-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman Tom Banton, who has come through their age group teams and Academy, to the squad for the Essex game, although the Buckinghamshire-born youngster is likely to have a watching brief.
Maynard said: “Tom has done well in T20 cricket for the second XI and, while there it is a big step up to the first team competition, he deserves to travel to Chelmsford as cover.
“He can be a destructive batsman and is quite innovative in his shot-making so we have high hopes for his future.”
Tim Groenewald is also added to the team on duty at The Oval and Somerset will select from 13 after assessing conditions at Chelmsford. For Essex Bangladeshi star batsman Tamim Iqbal has left the county after only one T20 Blast home game due to personal reasons so won't line up against Glamorgan on Sunday.