Injured Vasconcelos to miss start of Steelbacks Blast campaign

The 24-year-old, who was the club’s leading T20 run-scorer last summer, suffered the injury while in the field during the LV= Insurance County Championship Division One clash with Kent last weekend.

The news is a blow for head coach John Sadler, who had planned for Vasconcelos to open the batting alongside big-hitting Australian import Chris Lynn in Thursday night's opener against Birmingham Bears at Edgbaston.

"We have had some bad news in that Ricardo has cracked his finger in the four-day game," revealed Sadler.

"I think he is going to miss the first couple of weeks of the Blast to be honest.

"That is a blow for us, but that is what we have a squad for.

"He did it in the field. Somebody smacked the ball at him, he dived and stopped it and did a bit of damage in there.

"But it is one of those things, it is part of the game."

There are options for Sadler as to who replaces Vasconcelos at the top of the order, but it is likely that Ben Curran will initially be given his chance to stake a claim.

Elsewhere there is good news on the injury front, with Lewis McManus having recovered from the dislocated finger he suffered while keeping wicket in the Kent innings last Friday.

The Hampshire loan man's stay at the County Ground has been extended until at least the end of the Blast, and he will take the gloves for Thursday night's opening clash against the Bears at Edgbaston.