Blackwell out for the season

Ian Blackwell: time on his hands © Getty Images

Ian Blackwell, Somerset and England's allrounder, is to undergo surgery after injuring his shoulder in Somerset's Championship match against Leicestershire.

Blackwell, Somerset's captain, is likely to require at least three or four months to recuperate - a bitter blow for him, and England, after his encouraging bowling in the one-dayers in the subcontinent. He will certainly miss the one-dayers this summer against Pakistan and Sri Lanka, and is a serious doubt for the ICC Champions Trophy in October.

"He has been diagnosed as having a SLAP lesion in his left shoulder which has been confirmed by shoulder consultant Mr Alan Dunkley," Brian Rose, director of cricket at Somerset, said. "This is where part of the joint capsule is damaged along with part of the bicep tendon. The severity is yet to be confirmed but surgery is required regardless."

Blackwell, 27, has played 14 one-day internationals, and a single Test against India.