County boost as Hick wins fitness battle

7:48am Wednesday 14th May 2008

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GRAEME Hick should make his Worcestershire comeback today in the LV County Championship Division Two game against Gloucestershire at New Road (11am).

The 41-year-old batsman has been missing since the opening match of the campaign at Warwickshire after undergoing a minor elbow operation.

But the County's director of cricket Steve Rhodes hopes to have Hick back to face Glou-cestershire. "Graeme is coming along nicely," he said. "I was hoping he would have been able to play on Sunday, but it's now looking good for today."

Rhodes will also run a fitness test on strike bowler Kabir Ali after the seamer picked up a hamstring strain in the game at Northamptonshire a fortnight ago.

The New Road chief has named a strong squad as he renews his old rivalry with Gloucestershire's team mentor Jack Russell. The pair battled for the England gloves back in the late 1980s and early 1990s and, with both of them now leading their counties, they will be looking to put one over each other once again.

"Jack is a good guy," Rhodes said. "We have had a lot of rivalry over the years, but we get on well."

Having taken a one-day career best on Sunday, with 5-32 against Hampshire Hawks in the Friends Provident Trophy, Simon Jones will be hoping to take that form into his home Championship debut against Gloucestershire.

The 29-year-old England pace bowler started the opening game at Edgbaston only to pick up a neck injury.

Worcestershire will be looking for their first Champion-ship win of the season after their opening three games were all affected by rain when they were in winning positions.

Rhodes has been pleased with the way Worcestershire have started the season, but believes it could have been even better.

"We are not going to rest on our laurels," he said. "We have been in some great positions in games and not managed to get the points that warranted our hard work.

"That is why I will keep driving the lads forward and going for the wins.

"Former coach Tom Moody used to talk about raising the bar all the time and that is exactly what we must do, keep improving because that keeps your drive going."

Gloucestershire will be without former County opener Kadeer Ali, ruled out with a broken finger, while skipper and player-coach Jon Lewis will have a late fitness test on a groin injury picked up in the warm-up on Sunday in their victory over Somerset Sabres.

Worcestershire (from): Mitchell, Moore, Solanki (capt), Smith, Hick, Davies (wkt), Batty, Kabir, Andrew, Jones, Magoffin, Moeen.