Thursday, July 28th, 2016

Clarke Returns To Action Against Tourists In Keeper Role

Clarke Returns To Action Against Tourists In Keeper Role

Joe Clarke returns to action after injury for Worcestershire tomorrow – and will keep wicket in the two-day game with Pakistan at New Road.

Clarke has recovered from the slight side strain suffered in the warm-up to last Friday's NatWest T20 Blast match at Derby.

It kept the 20-year-old out of the final two England Lions matches in the Tri-Series with Pakistan 'A' and Sri Lanka 'A' at Canterbury.

But he will be behind the stumps against the tourists – after passing a fitness test today – in place of Ben Cox who is rested along with vice-captain Joe Leach and opener Brett D'Oliveira.

Cox and Leach have played all of Worcestershire's County Championship, T20 and 50 over matches this summer while D'Oliveira has had a hectic week with his double first taste of Lions action.

The trio will get the opportunity to recharge their batteries ahead of another concentrated period of cricket taking in six days out of seven immediately after the Pakistan game.

Spinner Ben Twohig, who last week signed a new three year contract, and all-rounder Alex Hepburn are included in the squad.

Tom Kohler-Cadmore, who scored a century in yesterday's One-Day Cup clash with Northamptonshire, said: "It's always good to test yourself against the best players so playing those guys will be interesting.

"It will be good for the bowlers to test themselves against the guys who maybe have not been scoring the runs they would have liked in the Tests.

"For us to play against people of Test standard, it is always nice to see where you are at on the scale."

WORCESTERSHIRE (from):

Mitchell

Fell

Clarke

Kervezee

Kohler-Cadmore

Whiteley

Rhodes

Barnard

Hepburn

Shantry

Morris

Twohig