Knee injury keeps Sales sidelined

Northamptonshire batsman David Sales will miss the rest of the season after deciding to undergo reconstructive surgery on his knee

Northamptonshire will continue without star batsman David Sales in their LV= County Championship Division Two match against Glamorgan - after the 31-year-old was ruled out for the remainder of the season by his troublesome knee injury.

The prolific batsman, who has yet to play this summer, has opted to undergo reconstructive surgery on the knee and will now focus on returning for the start of the 2010 domestic season.

He told Northants’ official website: “After consultation with knee specialist Dr Andy Williams it was agreed that I could possibly have played again this season with continued rehab and perhaps by wearing a knee brace.

“However, the longer-term view was it could flare up again which would mean missing yet more cricket and possibly jeopardising my career.

“I am now looking forward to scheduling the operation as soon as possible and working hard post-op to get ready for 2010.”

David Murphy, who made his first-class debut against Surrey last week, will continue to deputise behind the stumps for Northants in the absence of Niall O’Brien and Riki Wessels.

O’Brien is on ICC World Twenty20 duty with Ireland while Wessels is still recovering from a severe bout of illness.

Head coach David Capel told ecb.co.uk: “Riki’s only just got out of hospital today. He’s had gastric fever and possibly some mild pneumonia. He’s still on antibiotics and he’s got some rehabilitation to do before he comes back into contention.

“It’s the first time he’s been walking around since last Wednesday so you can’t expect him to jump off his hospital bed and come straight back into the side.

“We have to make sure he does the right things and comes back when he’s ready.”

Northants slumped to an innings defeat against Surrey in their last outing, but they can take heart from an impressive recent record against Glamorgan, including victory by an innings and 99 runs on their last championship visit to the SWALEC Stadium.

Alex Wakely has been added to the XI which lost last week’s game at Wantage Road.

Glamorgan, meanwhile, have named an unchanged 13-man squad as they look to build on an encouraging display in last week's draw with Derbyshire.

Skipper Jamie Dalrymple will be hoping to continue his fine form with the bat, while veteran spinner Robert Croft comes into the game on the back of a significant milestone.

Croft claimed his 100th championship wicket against Derbyshire, making him the fifth Glamorgan bowler to claim a century of wickets against one county side.

Northants are another county Croft has fared well against over the years, the 39-year-old having taken 73 wickets against them to date.