Ben Stokes sidelined until May after surgery to repair broken cheekbone

Stokes suffered the injury after being struck in the face by a Durham academy player while helping in the nets in February during the English county side's pre-season training.

Durham had hoped Stokes would be fit for the start of the County Championship season that starts this week, but the allrounder's availability has been pushed back.

"(The incident) could have been horrific," Durham head coach Ryan Campbell said at the team's pre-season media day.

"So, so much worse than what you think. A couple of centimetres a different way it hits him in the eye and it could have been different.

"The ball was hit so hard. We are just lucky he got away with it."

Stokes has not played any competitive cricket since the final Ashes Test in Australia in January, s series which England lost 4-1.

Following a review of that tour, it has been decided that Stokes and England head coach Brendon McCullum will remain in their roles and Campbell has no doubt that the skipper will have a point to prove.

"He has been training so hard to be ready," Campbell said. "He has a lot to prove.

"You don't have to be a rocket scientist to know the Ashes didn't go so well and he is a proud man who wants England to be the best team in the world.

"He, as a professional, is working at getting right and ready to go."

READ MORE: Australia's Cameron Green not allowed to bowl in early stages of IPL