Gloucestershire will be without leading wicket-taker Liam Norwell for the Specsavers County Championship match with Second Division leaders Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge, starting today.

The 25-year-old Cornishman complained of a sore back after bowling in the nets and will be rested for the game.

With David Payne still recovering from a hernia operation, Gloucestershire are deprived of the two opening bowlers who appeared in the first three Championship games.

Norwell claimed 20 wickets in those matches, so his absence is sure to be keenly felt against a Notts side unbeaten in four-day cricket this season.

Gloucestershire head coach Richard Dawson said: “It is a blow losing Liam when he was bowling so well. We don’t think the injury is serious, but it would be silly to take any risks.”

Matt Taylor and Ollie Currill could replace Norwell and Payne. If so, it would be a Championship debut for 20-year-old Currill, a right-arm seamer, from Banbury, who played against Durham MCCU at the start of the season.

He has been impressing in the second XI, while Taylor bowled in three Royal London One-Day Cup games, taking three for 48 against Somerset at Bristol.

Kieran Noema-Barnett has also been named in a squad of 12 for the Notts game, having not featured in any of the first three Championship fixtures.

Dawson will finalise selection after assessing the pitch.

Four-day captain Gareth Roderick is still not considered ready for a return to first team action, so Phil Mustard will again lead the side.

Gloucestershire lie fifth in the Second Division table with 34 points after a win, a draw and a defeat from their opening three fixtures. They are already 43 points behind second placed Kent, who have played one more match, and cannot afford to lose further ground on the promotion places.

Notts already have 80 points from four games, winning the first three and then being held to a draw by Glamorgan at Cardiff where they spent the last two and a half days in the field thanks to an unbroken match-saving stand of 226 between Colin Ingram and Chris Cook.

Dawson said: “It seems an age since our last Championship game against Durham, but I thought there was progression in the three opening matches.

“We need to keep that going against a very strong Notts side.”

Gloucestershire (from): C.Bancroft, C.Dent, W.Tavare, G.van Buuren, G.Hankins, P.Mustard (capt& wkt), J.Taylor, C.Miles, O.Currill, C.Liddle, M.Taylor, K.Noema-Barnett.