EXETER all-rounder Tom Lammonby was forced to pull out of the England Development XI game against Sri Lanka this week due to a fractured vertibrae.

 Lammonby, who is 16 and on Somerset’s Academy programme, was named in the England Development squad last week.

He was due to travel up to Loughborough today with Somerset and Exeter team-mates Dom Bess to play against the touring South African U19 side.

Lammonby reported a niggling back injury last week to Somerset last week and was told not to bowl U17 cricket for Devon.

A scan was booked to see what the problem was and the bad news broken to the Exeter School pupil.

“The consultant said it was the smallest stress fracture he had ever seen, but the minute you say ‘stress fracture’ alarm bells go off with Somerset and England,” said dad Glenn.

“For the time being Tom is out of all cricket and we are waiting to hear from Somerset what they want to do next.

“England don’t want to take any chances with him and won’t rush him back.

“Their view is this isn’t about the next six months, but an investment in Tom’s future for the next 20 years.”

Meanwhile, Exeter are looking forward to a Friday night T20 date with Somerset in early August as part of the celebrations marking the opening of their new £800,000 pavilion.

Somerset head coach Matt Maynard has promised to send down a side to play an Exeter Invitation XI.