Roland-Jones out for the season with stress fracture in his back

The Middlesex allrounder complained of soreness during the recent County Championship defeat by Derbyshire and a scan has shown he has suffered a recurrence of the problem he first suffered last September

Toby Roland-Jones has been ruled out for the rest of the 2018 season after suffering another stress fracture in his back.

The Middlesex allrounder complained of soreness during the recent County Championship defeat by Derbyshire and a scan has shown he has suffered a recurrence of the problem he first suffered last September.

The county says Roland-Jones requires "an extended period of rehabilitation" and he will not feature for the remainder of the campaign.

Managing director of cricket Angus Fraser said: “Everybody at the club is devastated for Toby and our immediate thoughts are with him, and that he makes a full recovery.

“I know how frustrating it can be to miss a summer of cricket through injury, having been through this myself on two occasions. The ray of light is that you do recover and you do come back stronger and even more determined.

“Toby’s absence is obviously a set-back for Middlesex and he will be missed for more than just his bowling. He is a fantastic presence in the dressing room and has been one of the finest bowlers in the country in the past six or seven years.

Yet one players misfortune is another players opportunity and we have a number of young, hungry bowlers on our staff. They now have an opportunity to show their potential and to fill the hole created by Toby’s misfortune. I have every confidence they are up to this challenge.”