Bailey’s Bay were yesterday faced with finding a replacement for Kyle Hodsoll for the Eastern Counties first-round match against holders St David’s, with the opening bowler injuring his shoulder on Thursday night after training.

The injury is a second setback for the challengers after batsman Tre Manders was ruled out after a bike accident last week, which will also keep him out of Cup Match for Somerset.

Hodsoll, who went to the hospital to get the injury checked, expects to be sidelined for four to six weeks, ruling him out of a possible recall to the St George’s Cup Match team.

“It was just one of those freak accidents, definitely a blow to me,” Hodsoll said. “It happened last night after training when I was coming down the steps.

“I slipped and missed my footing and hit the back of my shoulder. It’s not dislocated, but the ligament between the collarbone and rotator cuff was hyperextended.

“I was able to move my shoulder, but it felt strange and I was worried so I went to the hospital to get it checked. There is still a little pain and swelling.”

Hodsoll is hopeful of playing again this season depending on how physiotherapy goes. Hodsoll suffered a knee injury in 2015 while playing football for Tuffs Dogs in the Corona League.

“I’m heading to the physiotherapist now to get it accessed and start a recovery programme and, hopefully, be back by the second round,” he said.

“I was definitely looking forward to the game, but what is done is done. I’ve been to physio before when I injured my knee, tore my ACL. They gave me eight months to be back then and I was back in six.

“My body heals pretty quickly if I do the right things. I’m pretty sure [physio] Craig Brown at Apex can whip me back in shape; he did it before and hopefully he can do it again.”

Hodsoll was named in the Bay team on Wednesday night. His place in the team will be taken by colt Jordan Burgess, a 17-year-old left-arm seam bowler, who got the call yesterday afternoon that he had been promoted from reserve.

The Bay team will be captained by Terryn Fray and also includes one other colt, spinner Jermaine Usher, as well as Southampton Rangers all-rounder Malachi Jones who returns to the team along with Derrick Brangman who missed last year’s match because of suspension.

Fray admits the loss of Hodsoll is a big blow, but said that the team is in good spirits. “That is definitely not a good feeling, when I woke up to that call I was not happy at all,” Fray said. “We have [a replacement] in mind, but it is not confirmed yet.”

“We had three seamers and three spinners so we were looking at a six-bowler attack and we think that is more than enough.”

Fray said Usher is deserving of his spot and will be a key man in their bowling.

“He has come a long way, has picked up quite a bit of wickets this season in Twenty20 and deserves an opportunity,” he said.

“It’s a long time coming for him, he’s been on the fringe for awhile, missed out in the last couple of years, but it is good to see him involved. He is also one of our better fielders.”

St David’s have had some problems of their own with the decision by captain Chris Douglas and George O’Brien to stop playing.

All-rounder Brian Hall and wicketkeeper Iyuan Smith have been named as colts for St David’s.

Justin Pitcher, who has replaced Douglas as captain of the Twenty20 team, will captain his first counties match with Lionel Cann as vice-captain. Cann was one of the St David’s heroes last year when they dethroned Cleveland County at Sea Breeze Oval, scoring 62 as they won the final by three wickets. It was Cann’s 50th appearance in the Eastern Counties.

George Cannonier, who recently returned as head coach of St David’s, is hoping his players can make the adjustment after several weeks. “I think it’s a hindrance, really,” he said.

“I don’t know why they did away with open cricket, I think we need more longer games because after overs games there is a mentality they have to break in order to convert to the longer game. It’s obvious those competitions are not helpful to the longer game.”

TEAMS

St David’s: Justin Pitcher (capt), Lionel Cann, OJ Pitcher, Delyone Borden, Macai Simmons, Shannon Rayner, Iyuan Smith (colt), Oronde Bascome, Brian Hall (colt), Rudell Pitcher, Cejay Outerbridge. Reserves: Chare Smith, Janiell Carlington, Oni Smith, Aaron Paynter.

Bailey’s Bay: Terryn Fray (capt), Sinclair Smith, Rodney Trott, Stephen Outerbridge, Jordan Burgess, Malachi Jones, Jermaine Usher (colt), Zeko Burgess, Derrick Brangman, Coolidge Durham, Pierre Smith. Reserves: Nyhrobi Carmichael, Shaquille Outerbridge.

Umpires: E Carrington, A Knight.