Worcestershire Head Coach Alan Richardson has revealed the determination of Club Captain Brett D’Oliveira to play and that it is “like a dagger into him” when he is ruled out with his shoulder problem.
D’Oliveira suffered the initial setback at the tail-end of last season but defied the pain to play the finale of the push for promotion in the County Championship and scored a brilliant century against Yorkshire at Headingley.
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He had winter surgery but is still troubled by a frozen shoulder which has meant him having to miss certain games this summer, including the last two Championship matches with Surrey and Durham.
But he was back to lead the side in Friday evening’s Blast encounter with Durham at the Seat Unique Riverside and picked up two wickets.
Richardson said: “It’s a bit of a case of day by day with Dolly. It’s a frozen shoulder which takes time. He has played through some incredible pain already and that takes its toll.
“Dolly is desperate to get out there and play and is so proud to represent the county and every game he misses is like a dagger into him.
“But we have to see how he goes and we also have got to look after his long term health as well as much as we have can.
“Like I said, we will take it day by day.”
D’Oliveira, Worcestershire’s T20 Player Of The Year for the past three seasons, is in the squad for the next Vitality Blast match against Lancashire at Emirates Old Trafford on Sunday.
Worcestershire defeated Lancashire when the two sides met at Visit Worcestershire New Road but the Red Rose are challenging strongly for a top four spot.
Richardson said: “They had a good start, had a little blip against us and have continued to play very well.
“I don’t know whether Jos Buttler, Phil Salt, Liam Livingstone and Tom Hartley will be available (after the T20 World Cup).
“They are going to just get stronger and stronger so it will be a really good challenge for us.”
Worcestershire have named the same squad selected for Friday’s encounter with Durham at the Seat Unique Riverside.
All-rounder Nathan Smith is again resting as a precaution after suffering a tight hamstring against Durham.
Worcestershire Rapids
2 Jake Libby
3 Josh Cobb
6 Matthew Waite
7 Ed Pollock
9 Gareth Roderick (w)
12 Tom Taylor
15 Brett D’Oliveira (c)
27 Kashif Ali
41 Harry Darley
54 Adam Hose
61 Adam Finch
77 Ethan Brookes
86 Hayden Walsh
88 Rob Jones
