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London - Former England wicketkeeper Craig Kieswetter is to see several eye specialists in the next few weeks as he waits to find out if he can continue his career in professional career, county side Somerset said Wednesday.
The 27-year-old suffered a broken nose, a damaged eye socket and cheekbone when a ball crept through the grille of his helmet while batting for Somerset against Northamptonshire in July.
The South Africa-born Kieswetter, a member of the England team that won the 2010 World Twenty20 in the West Indies, returned to county action towards the end of the last English season but realised he still had vision problems while playing in South Africa's domestic Twenty20 competition.
"When he came back at the tail end of last season, Craig knew that his eye wasn't quite as good as it was prior to the injury," Somerset director of cricket Matthew Maynard said Wednesday.
"Then when he played in the Ram Slam T20 over in South Africa it became evident to Craig that the eye hadn't improved from where it was at the end of the season, so that's obviously a concern for him," the former England batsman added.
Kieswetter, who has played 46 one-day internationals and 25 T20s for England, the last two years ago, has all but given up on playing cricket during the 2015 English season and is now waiting to discover if he has a long-term future in cricket.
"He will see an eye specialist in Belgium next week, as well as seeing a specialist in the USA," Maynard said. "That will hopefully give some indication as to what will happen going forward.
"As a coach, I have had to plan that we won't see him for the summer. If the results from the specialists are positive and he feels that he is ready to resume his career before the end of the season then we would be delighted to have him back.
"Craig has to think quite selfishly at this stage about what's best for him. He loves playing cricket for Somerset and I am sure that he would love to continue doing so, but first and foremost he knows that his eye has got to be right.
"Obviously we all wish him the very best with the upcoming appointments with the specialists, and hopefully we'll have some good news for both Craig and Somerset County Cricket Club."
