Batter should be fit in time for T20 Blast campaign as he works on rehab alongside Archer
Phil Salt, the Sussex batsman, has been ruled out until the end of May due to a cycling injury.
Sussex announced on Thursday that Salt had broken a bone in his right foot, which was confirmed after a visit to a specialist. He suffered the injury last month after a collision while riding his bike, and will miss Sussex’s next four County Championship fixtures at least.
A club statement said he would spend at least two more weeks wearing a protective boot, before “intensifying his rehabilitation with an aim of returning to competitive cricket by the end of May”. Salt is currently in rehab at Hove alongside Jofra Archer, who returned to light training this week after receiving the all-clear from his medical consultant.
The injury is a significant blow for Salt. He struggled for form playing T20 cricket over the winter, averaging 20.66 in 15 Big Bash innings for Adelaide Strikers, and making 22 runs in three innings for Islamabad United before the PSL’s postponement, and would have hoped to find some early-season rhythm in county cricket. With a T20 World Cup later this year, it will be a relief to him that he is due to return to fitness in time for the start of the Vitality Blast on June 9.
In Salt’s absence, Sussex have promoted allrounder Aaron Thomason to open the batting alongside Tom Haines in their first two matches of the season. Travis Head, their second overseas player for the Championship, is due to arrive in the UK in time for the fixture against Northamptonshire on May 6.
Meanwhile, Sussex have been inviting former players to training sessions, with newly-appointed head coaches Ian Salisbury (Championship and 50 overs) and James Kirtley (T20) hoping their experience will rub off on a young squad. Chris Adams and Yasir Arafat both attended training before the first game of the Championship season against Lancashire, and Matt Prior took part in wicketkeeping drills run by Sarah Taylor on Tuesday before the away fixture against Glamorgan.
Matt Roller is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo. @mroller98