Essex youngsters Mervyn Westfield and Maurice Chambers will miss most of the season after suffering stress fractures in their backs. The 19-year-old pacemen were both hoping to challenge for first team places this summer.
And Westfield played in the opening Championship game of the summer against Derbyshire at Chelmsford.
But club physio Mark Thomas has said neither will be able to bowl again for at least three months.
There is, however, better news of four other injured seamers.
The club expects Alex Tudor and Tony Palladino (abdominal strains), Darren Thomas (shoulder) and Jahid Ahmed (back) to be available for selection in the "near future".
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
Cricket interviews 