England limited-overs skipper Eoin Morgan will miss the start of Middlesex’s season due to a fractured thumb, the club have announced.

The 31-year-old is set to be sidelined for at least four weeks after he was hit on his left thumb while batting in the nets last week.

Morgan will join opening batsman Nick Gubbins in the treatment room.

Gubbins is not expected to be fully fit until the end of April after sustaining a grade two hamstring strain in the recent North-South series in the Caribbean.

Middlesex are hopeful England paceman Steven Finn will prove his fitness for the start of the campaign having suffered a minor knee ligament strain on Pakistan Super League duty.

Morgan and Gubbins’ injuries, coupled with the unavailability of England batsman Dawid Malan, has forced Middlesex into signing Australia international Hilton Cartwright.

The batting all-rounder, who has played two Tests for his country, will be available for Middlesex’s opening County Championship matches later this month.

Managing director Angus Fraser said: “How much cricket he plays for Middlesex will depend on a number of factors – injuries, England decisions, and the form of players at the start of the season.”