Paul Hutchison may have bowled himself into Sussex's Championship chasing team.
The left-armer took 3-30, his best one-day figures for the county, to help the Sharks squeeze home by eight runs in last night's day-night National League game against Durham at Hove.
Now the 26-year-old is poised to play only his fourth full Championship game for Sussex in place of Jason Lewry who is out for at least a month after a scan revealed he had torn a rib muscle.
Lewry says he is 'gutted' to be out of action just when he had recaptured his best form.
He suffered the injury in last week's Championship win over Leicestershire but hopes to return by the end of August.
"For the first time in two years I'm bowling properly again and this happens, I'm gutted," he said.
"Hopefully it's only going to be four weeks but both James Kirtley and Robin Martin-Jenkins had the same injury and were out for a long time so I have to be careful with it."
If Kirtley makes his Test debut against South Africa tomorrow, Billy Taylor will be added to the squad for Friday's game against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.
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