Durham and England all-rounder Ben Stokes will not now need a planned operation on a knee injury.
Stokes, who has played five one-day internationals and two Twenty20s for England having made his debut last summer, has been struggling with a cartilage problem that has affected his ability to bowl.
He was due to have surgery, which would keep him out of around three weeks, but has now been told he can avoid going under the knife.
Durham have not got a fixed timescale for his comeback, or his return to bowling, but are encouraged by the news following previous finger and back injuries that have disrupted the 20-year-old's rise to prominence, with the latter ruling him out of England Lions' match against the West Indies last week.
A Durham spokesman said: "Ben won't be having surgery and at the moment the doctors say it looks fine and positive.
"It's good news today but it's something that they will continue to monitor because it could flare up again."
Stokes, meanwhile, took to his Twitter account to give his account of the news.
"Some good news today, doctor told me there's no rush to operate on my knee but keeping it under observation as it could flare back up," he wrote.
"So back in the gym to get some work through it and hopefully everything goes well and it doesn't flare back up and can get back on the pitch. Fingers crossed."
England team director Andy Flower is eager to integrate a seam-bowling all-rounder in his side and, with a shortage of obvious candidates, will take an active interest in Stokes' recovery and progress this summer.
