WORCESTERSHIRE paceman Josh Tongue has started rehabilitation work after an MRI scan revealed a “stress response” in a metatarsal in his left foot.

Tongue will be out of action for the next two-and-a-half months when he will be supervised by head of sports science and medicine Ben Davies and strengthening and conditioning coach Ross Dewar.

But head coach Kevin Sharp is hopeful he will be able to return for the final six Specsavers County Championship matches of the 2018 campaign if all goes to plan during his recovery period.

The 20-year-old academy product initially felt some pain in his foot during the warm-up to the Royal London One-Day Cup match with Notts Outlaws at Trent Bridge last week which led to the MRI scan.

Tongue who picked up 47 first class wickets in his 2017 debut season had played in the opening five Championship matches of the current campaign plus three One-Day Cup encounters.

Davies said: “Josh had some pain in the outside of his left foot whilst warming up against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.

“An MRI scan was arranged and unfortunately showed a stress response through his fifth metatarsal.

“He has begun his rehabilitation work and we are hopeful he will be still be available for our last six County Championship matches.”

Sharp said: “It is a blow to lose Josh who showed last season how much potential he has got and he was adjusting nicely to the demands of Division One cricket.

“But there is nothing you can do about injuries. We just have to get on with it and hope we will have Josh back for the final part of the season and those final six Championship matches which is still a lot of cricket.”

The first of those final six Championship matches would be the meeting with Yorkshire at Scarborough in mid August.

Tongue was selected for the ECB Pace Programme and the England Lions training camp in Australia this winter on the back of his performances in his first campaign at senior level.