SWINDON have received a blow to their Gloucestershire & Wiltshire Division One title aspirations after the news that skipper Will Nichols has been ruled out of action for up to at least six weeks with a shoulder injury.

Nichols, an all-rounder, is a key figure for a Swindon side relegated from the West of England Premier ranks last season.

And he will be sorely missed after dislocating a shoulder in a midweek league match.

Nichols was playing for the combined Burmah Swindon side when he suffered the dislocation to his right shoulder, diving to stop a ball in the field.

He said: "It's very disappointing the season is just starting and I felt I was finding some form.

"I've been put in a contraption to keep the arm straight and will be out for at least six weeks.

"I'll have to see how it recovers, but as it's my bowling arm, I might not bowl again this season."

Darren Beasant stands in as captain for today's league game against local rivals Goatacre at the County Ground.

GLOUCESTER'S Frizzell County Championship Division Two clash with Hampshire was scuppered by the rain, with no play possible yesterday.

Somerset and England bowler Andy Caddick is out of action for a month after being ordered by a specialist to rest damaged ligaments in his right foot.

Frizzell County Championship Division One: The AMP Oval, Leicestershire 200 (P A J DeFreitas 65, Azhar Mahmood 5-78) & 32-2 v Surrey 560-8 dec (M R Ramprakash 152, I D K Salisbury 101 no, A D Brown 73, A J Stewart 71, P A J DeFreitas 4-101); Old Trafford, No play Friday due to rain Essex 215 (J S Foster 57, J M Anderson 4-67) & 41-2 v Lancashire 375 (I J Sutcliffe 109, M J Chilton 106, R C Irani 4-59); Frizzell County Championship Division Two: Stockton, No play Friday due to rain Worcestershire 395 (Kabir Ali 84 no, B F Smith 81, S D Peters 62, V S Solanki 52) v Durham 146-3 (J J B Lewis 66 no); Northampton No play Friday due to rain Yorkshire 399 (M P Vaughan 103, R K J Dawson 77, A McGrath 51, J F Brown 4-99) v Northamptonshire 311-2 (P A Jaques 183 no, M E K Hussey 65); Bristol No play Friday due to rain Hampshire 369 (S M Katich 96, W S Kendall 69, J P Crawley 69, N Pothas 63, J Lewis 4-80) v Gloucestershire 316-4 (C M Spearman 103, W P C Weston 61, J N Rhodes 57 no)