Durham captain Paul Collingwood has undergone surgery to repair a thumb injury that he suffered last June.
The 36-year-old sustained the problem when he was struck by a ball from Warwickshire's Chris Wright. However, the former England batsman was able to manage the complaint through the remainder of the campaign.
The problem flared up over the winter and it was decided that an operation would be the best form of treatment.
He will now spend the next 10 days recovering, before returning to training with his hand in a protective cast.
The new County Championship season is due to get underway on Friday, April 5.
