Essex skipper Ronnie Irani has revealed his career as a bowler could be at an end.
Irani has been plagued by knee trouble for the last few months and has often flown to Germany for treatment.
Ronnie Irani
Now he is waiting for specialists to assess the damage, leaving the team captain facing a period of uncertainty before a decision is made on his future.
The shock news comes at a time when Essex need every available weapon to breath new life into a season that shows signs of falling apart.
"I'm waiting to have an X-ray on my knee to see exactly what the damage is before making a decision whether to undergo major surgery," said Irani.
"But it may be that I will only be able to carry on playing solely as a batsman for the rest of my career."
The 31-year-old said he would have a better idea of his fate in two or three weeks' time.
X-rays are being sent to top knee surgeon Richard Dedman in Colorado, America, for analysis and Irani has had to put bowling on hold until the results are known.
"Once he has made his recommendations I will consider all the facts with my consultant over here and make the final decision on what to do," added Irani. "I can only wait to see what the conclusions are after all the medical evidence is at hand.
"I'm hoping there is something which can be done to allow me to continue as an all-rounder but I have some doubts in my mind.
"It could be that I will have to solely concentrate on batting from now on."
More on Essex County Cricket Club
Published Tuesday, June 17, 2003
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