Yorkshire CCC star facing up to six months on the sidelines after new injury blow

Milnes first sustained the injury towards the end of last season while playing in a County Championship game against Essex at Canterbury.

Following a winter of rehabilitation at Yorkshire, and a successful pre-season tour, he felt discomfort on debut for the club in the opening Championship match against Leicestershire at Headingley and now faces up to six months on the sidelines.

Darren Gough, the Yorkshire managing director of cricket, described the news as a bitter blow.

“Matt has worked really hard to get himself back and fit after a bad injury and everyone at the club is devastated for him,” he said.

“The main focus is to support Matt and his family during this difficult period and give him all the support needed to get him back on the pitch as soon as he is fit and healthy.”

Originally, Yorkshire reported that Milnes had experienced stiffness during the Leicestershire game.

He was one of the better performers during that three-wicket defeat, taking four wickets in the match and scoring 75 in the first innings as a nightwatchman.

Yorkshire said that the plan was always to rest him for the round two fixture against Gloucestershire in Bristol, which was abandoned without a ball being bowled, and that stiffness was still causing him a concern as he sat out the last match against Sussex in Hove.

But further examination of the injury confirmed the bad news and that Milnes is facing another long lay-off.

Yorkshire said that their medical staff will “continue to monitor Milnes throughout his rehabilitation program” and provide a further update “in due course”.