KENT skipper David Fulton is likely to be sidelined for a month after undergoing surgery on his right eye following last weekend's practice session accident.

The county opener was working on his hook shot in the St Lawrence nets when a solid, plastic ball, fired from an electric bowling machine, squeezed through the face grille of his helmet.

After consultation at the Kent and Canterbury Hospital’s accident and emergency unit, Fulton was taken to the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford for an operation to repair eyelid and tear duct damage.

Though sitting up and talking with colleagues later it is expected that Fulton will be out of the game for four weeks.

Though Kent’s Australian director of coaching Brayshaw was stunned by Fulton’s injury, he is relieved to see his captain, recovering well and remaining upbeat.

Brayshaw said: "I’m not being melodramatic, but all of us feared this might be a long process and it was great to see him feeling so positive.

"The important thing now is to keep David in the loop, part of our chain of the command and feeling part of it all.

“We were told initially he’d be out for at least a month and that a fair proportion would be on bed rest, but the last message was far more positive than that. It’s a far better prognosis than we thought on Saturday after the operation.

All-rounder Mark Ealham has ben appointed stand-in skipper. Brayshaw added: “As far as Mark’s appointment as acting captain goes, we are all singing from the same hymn sheet. Mark's getting the job with everyone’s full support.”