SOMERSET will have to face the rest of the 2016 season without the services of paceman Jamie Overton who has suffered a stress fracture of the back that will see him sidelined for the rest of the current campaign, writes Richard Walsh.

The 22-year-old was forced to leave the field midway through an over during the County Championship match against Middlesex last week, after which he took no further part in the game.

Subsequent scans and tests have revealed that Jamie Overton has suffered a stress fracture of the back, as a result of which he will miss the remainder of the 2016 season.

Jamie Thorpe, the Somerset County Cricket Club physiotherapist, said: “Jamie Overton will begin a rehabilitation programme later in the autumn with a view to him making a full recovery and returning to cricket next season.” 

This is a huge blow for both the player and the Club for whom the former Academy youngster had recently claimed a season’s best of 5-42 against Hampshire in the County Championship.

Jamie Overton tops the Somerset County Championship averages with 17 wickets at 22.47 and is also the leading wicket-taker for the club in T20 Blast, so he is certainly starting to deliver the goods in all formats of the game. 

He would also be expected to play a major part in the rest of the Royal London 50-over cup competition games.

The arrival of Chris Rogers at the Cooper Associated County Ground at the start of this season, who has known the Overtons since they were very young has had a positive on the bowler, who admitted recently that his game was in a good place.

On the strength of his form so far this season, Jamie Overton was named in the England Lions squad to face Sri Lanka A and Pakistan A this summer, which sadly he has had to withdraw from.

Matt Maynard, the Somerset director of cricket, said: “Jamie has bowled beautifully this year and has come on again, so its hugely bad luck for him.

“However, he is a tough character and will come back so this will give him a winter at home to fully recuperate and then fire him up for next season. 

“We will miss him this year because he has bowled well for us.

“However, this does give someone else an opportunity and with Josh Davey and Paul Van Meekeren in the squad they have now got the chance to push for places because we can’t just stick with our three main seamers for the rest of the season.”