Foster picked up the injury towards the end of Sunday’s Friends Provident Trophy match against Kent at Canterbury.

Foster explained to the Essex CCC website (www.essexcricket.org.uk):

“I got a knock on the end of my left thumb when standing up to Ryan ten Doeschate. I suffered a cut underneath the nail that produced a lot of blood and gave me a lot of pain. Luckily I didn’t get another blow to the thumb over the remainder of the game but the bruising came out on the tip of the thumb the next day. I also saw a specialist on the Monday and luckily there was no break. At the moment I still feel a little tentative catching one-handed to my left side and gripping the bat is also painful. It’s not worth risking making it worse at this early stage of the season.”

Essex CCC Physio Mark Thomas added:

“James sustained a blow to his thumb from a ball during the Friends Provident Trophy match with Kent. He was seen by a specialist on Monday and x-rayed. There is no fracture and he will be fit again to play once the soft tissue damage is less painful.”

Meanwhile, Essex First-Team Coach Paul Grayson has every faith in Foster’s replacement behind the stumps, the 18-year-old Wheater.

“We gave him (James Foster) every chance to play but it’s a long season and if we rest him for this match he should be fit for Sunday’s (Friends Provident Trophy) game against Sussex. I have every confidence in Adam Wheater that he will acquit himself well over the next four days.”

The Whipps Cross-born Wheater is an Academy Professional who made his first-class bow in the recent game against Cambridge University Centre of Cricketing Excellence at Fenner’s.

You can follow the game between Derbyshire and Essex via the Essex CCC website at with live scoring, live ball-by-ball commentary from BBC Essex and updates in the Essex CCC Diary.

Essex wicketkeeper James Foster is providing a Blog on Cricinfo during the 2008 season. Part Two will appear later on today via the link below: