Sussex Women have been dealt a massive blow after opening batsman Georgia Adams was ruled out for up to two months.

Adams is set to miss the next two games in the Royal London One-Day Championship and could be sidelined for the whole NatWest T20 campaign after suffering a hip injury.

The 22-year-old picked up the problem in the opening game at Warwickshire where she top scored with 45 but could not prevent Sussex sliding to defeat.

Despite feeling discomfort she played in the victory over Kent in the next game, scoring 53, but had to sit out the victory over Somerset two weeks ago and a scan has since revealed the extent of the damage.

Coach Charlotte Burton said: “It’s a grade two tear which is quite a bad one so they think she will be out for between six and eight weeks. It’s a huge blow as she had started the season so well but we have some good young players waiting for their chance.

“Izzy Collis was promoted up the order to open the batting in the last game and is similar in style to Georgia in that she likes to attack but is also able to build an innings.”

Adams had featured on the England Academy tour to Sri Lanka over the winter and her impressive start to the season had seen her tipped for a call-up to the full national side this summer.

Her absence means Sussex will be without two key players for the majority of the season following skipper Sarah Taylor’s decision to take an indefinite break from the game for personal reasons.

Georgia Elwiss will continue as captain while Taylor is unavailable and Burton admits there is no timeframe for the England star’s potential return.

Burton added: “Sarah needs a break and will come back when she is ready, whether that is for England’s series against Pakistan, for the start of the Super League or next season we don’t know but we will support her all the way.”

Former England under-19 international Abbey Freeborn will continue to stand in as wicketkeeper when Sussex take on Middlesex at Billingshurst on Monday aiming for a third consecutive win in the One-Day Championship.