Yorkshire batsman Will Fraine could miss the start of the 2020 season following knee surgery.
The 23-year-old has dislocated his left knee cap on five occasions, the two most recent in the past three months.
He played eight County Championship games in 2019 after moving to Headingley from Nottinghamshire.
“It seems we are looking at a four to six-month recovery. That means it’s unlikely that I will start the season,” Fraine told the Yorkshire website.
“It’s called an MPFL (Medial Patellofemoral Ligament) reconstruction. Basically, I have a new ligament in my knee which is going to stop it from dislocating.”
Fraine dislocated his knee warming up for the Championship game against Somerset in September, and again last month while playing club cricket in Australia.
Surgery was performed earlier this month and he added: “This surgery has got a 90-95% success rate.
“This will hopefully ensure I have a long career instead of worrying about it because it was always in the back of my mind.”
