Northamptonshire batsman Ben Duckett is facing up to three months on the sidelines after deciding to undergo surgery on a long-standing injury to his left hand.
The problem first surfaced at the back end of last season although careful management of the issue allowed him to travel with England Lions to Australia, where the left-hander was suspended and given a final written warning about his conduct after pouring a drink over Test star James Anderson in a Perth bar in December.
Duckett aggravated the injury in training last month and he is now likely to miss the North v South series in Barbados next month.
Northamptonshire confirmed on their official website that Duckett faces "two to three months to make a full recovery" but are optimistic he will be fit for the start of their Specsavers County Championship Division Two campaign at Middlesex on April 13.
Duckett wrote on Twitter: "I'm absolutely gutted to be missing the next few months of cricket.. but in the long term I feel it's the right decision to get my hand operated on. Thank you for all the messages and I look forward to being fit for a big summer."
The 23-year-old, who has played four Tests and three one-day internationals, was chosen as part of a 15-man North squad after his disciplinary issues led to him being dropped from the Lions' current tour of the West Indies.
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