TEENAGE wicketkeeper Adam Wheater was handed an unexpected LV County Champion-ship debut for Essex against Derbyshire yesterday after James Foster was ruled out with a thumb injury.

Vice-captain Foster was ruled out on the eve of the fixture after cutting his left thumb during Sunday's Friends Provident Trophy win over Kent.

The nasty injury, caused by a Ryan ten Doeschate delivery, meant Wheater had to rush from Second XI duties at Southend, where Essex are taking on Surrey, to join the squad on Tuesday evening.

And first team coach Paul Grayson revealed that he had no hesitation in handing Academy Professional Wheater the wicketkeeper's gloves.

Ironically, the 18-year-old made an impressive Essex debut by scoring 39 not out and taking three catches against Derbyshire in the Twenty20 Floodlit Cup last August.

"We gave James every chance to play but it's a long seasonand if we rest him for this match he should be fit for Sunday's game against Sussex," said Grayson.

"I have every confidence in Adam that he will acquit himself well over the next four days."

Foster, who was born in the same hospital - Whipps Cross - as Wheater, revealed that the pain in his injured digit had made it impossible to both bat and keep wicket.

"I got a knock on the end of my left thumb when standing up to Ryan. I suffered a cut underneath the nail that produced a lot of blood and gave me a lot of pain," explained Foster, who spent the winter on England Lions duty in India.

"Luckily I didn't get another blow to the thumb over the remainder of the game but the bruising came out on the tip of the thumb the next day.

I also saw a specialist on the Monday and luckily there was no break.

"At the moment I still feel a little tentative catching one-handed to my left side and gripping the bat is also painful. It's not worth risking making it worse at this early stage of the season."

Essex physio Mark Thomas is confident Foster will be fit for Sunday's Friends Provident clash with Sussex at the Ford County Ground.