WORCESTERSHIRE are bracing themselves for the possibility of being without Glenn McGrath next season.

The Australian pace star's non-stop international commitments look almost certain to rule him out of a return to New Road following the massive impact he made with the County last year.

After the current Ashes tour, the Aussies face 11 Test matches during the winter -- six against South Africa, three against New Zealand and two against Zimbabwe.

They will then be involved in a further three Tests against Pakistan in August.

The hectic schedule means the chances of McGrath completing the second part of his split two-year contract with Worcestershire are slim.

The County's Cricket Committee chairman Martin Horton said: "We would love to have him back and Glenn said he was very keen to come back even if such a move meant he would lose part of the salary paid to him by the Australian Cricket Board.

"But, given the fixture list that Australia are facing over the next year or so, I think it is extremely doubtful that Glenn will come back next season.

"Nothing has been decided yet and the committee here will look at the situation at the end of July.

Last season McGrath, who played for the tourists against the County recently, took 114 wickets in all competitions.

Meanwhile, Worcestershire Royals will be aiming to step up their Norwich Union League Division Two promotion bid tomorrow when they entertain Lancashire Lightning tomorrow.

The County have won three of their four games this season and are in second place in the table, six points behind Durham who have played one more match.

The County are setto be unchanged from the side which triumphed by 70 runs in their last match against Sussex at Hove.

Worcestershire: Pollard, Singh, Hick, Solanki, Leatherdale, Bichel, Rhodes, Lampitt, Kabir Ali, Rawnsley, Sheriyar.