WORCESTERSHIRE Royals aim to get their Norwich Union League Division Two promotion bid back on track when they meet lowly Middlesex Crusaders at Lord's tomorrow.

The County suffered a shock setback to their hopes last Sunday when they tumbled to a 33-run defeat against bottom-of-the-table Essex Eagles at Chelmsford.

New Road Director of Cricket Tom Moody said today: "We have had a long, hard look over our performances in both one-day and Championship matches over the last couple of weeks and we want to get back on track. We have shown signs of that in our game with Warwickshire."

Moody names the same squad which was selected for the ill-fated trip to Chelmsford when young paceman Chris Liptrot was 12th man.

Liptrot is in the current Championship line-up that lacks Stuart Lampitt because of injury. He has bruising to the knee which is in danger of flaring up again if he plays too much intense cricket, but a recall tomorrow is on the cards.

Opener Paul Pollard is still sidelined with a broken toe, but is hopeful of being available for Worcestershire's County Championship Division Two match with Hampshire which opens on Wednesday at New Road.

Since losing at Chelmsford, the County have fallen four points behind Durham Dynamos who stepped up their title charge on Wednesday with a 17-run win over Hampshire Hawks under the Duckworth/ Lewis method at Riverside on Wednesday.

Durham, however, have now played one more match that skipper Graeme Hick's men who are two points ahead of Hants and four in front of Glamorgan Dragons.

Middlesex are currently second from bottom in the table with just to wins to their credit in ten outings. They have lost six matches including a five wicket reversal against the County at New Road on July 15.

After dismissing the Crusaders for 128, the County were guided to victory by an undefeated 55 from David Leatherdale.

Worcs (from): Weston, Singh, Hick, Solanki, Leatherdale, Bichel, Rhodes, Lampitt, Catterall, Rawnsley, Sheriyar, Liptrot.

n Worcestershire lost by an innings and 20 runs in their Second Eleven Championship match against Sussex at New Road yesterday. Facing a daunting first innings deficit of 204, they were all out for 184.