AUSTRALIAN pace ace Andy Bichel struck a vital early blow for Worcestershire in today's Benson and Hedges Cup clash with Warwickshire at Edgbaston.

He bowled opening batsman Nick Knight for two in the fifth over to leave the home side on 10-1.

Bichel's fellow Australian Matt Mason was called up for his first-team debut to replace the out-of-form Alamgir Sheriyar, the only change from the side that won at Northampton on Wednesday.

Mason began with a maiden after seven runs came off Bichel's opening over, including a boundary for Neil Smith, but then Bichel found his rhythm and bowled two successive maidens, the second also including the wicket of Knight.

Smith also hit a boundary off Mason as he and Dougie Brown took the total to 19-1 after nine overs.

Warwickshire: Knight, N. Smith, Brown, Bell, Powell, Penney, Pollock, Piper, Sheikh, Carter, Richardson.

Worcestershire: Peters, Solanki, Hick, B. Smith, Leatherdale, Batty, Bichel, Rhodes, Kabir Ali, Lampitt, Mason.