WORCESTERSHIRE recall 'big guns' Andy Bichel, Stuart Lampitt and Steve Rhodes for their County Championship Division Two match against Sussex which opens at Horsham tomorrow.

All three missed the Vodafone Challenge Series game against the Australians which ended in a 360-run defeat for skipper Graeme Hick's men at New Road on Sunday.

Bichel and Rhodes were rested while Lampitt was not included to enable him to recover from a shoulder injury.

Paul Pollard is not being risked because of a nagging hamstring problem, but is due to have a fitness test later in the week to determined whether he will be able to play in Sunday's Norwich Union League Division Two clash with Sussex, also at Horsham.

Moody regards the forthcoming Championship match as 'critical' in their quest to push for promotion.

He said: "We have been unfortunate in Championship cricket where we have lost three of the games that we have played to the weather.

"We have only really played two genuine ones, so from here on in it's critical. We need to continue to perform.

"We are finding some good form and it was a pity that we didn't have a Championship match directly after our last game against Gloucestershire.

"We certainly got onto a bit of a role with the guys playing with confidence, but I'm sure that's going to come back.

"We have got some star quality coming back into the side, so it's going to be a big match for us.

"I believe it's a good batting wicket which our guys will enjoy, so it's going to be a hard toil for the bowlers, but it brings in obviously our spin attack.

"Matthew Rawnsley has bowled well and has gained a lot of experience out of the three days against Australia.

"The likes of Vikram Solanki and Graeme Hick will obviously be used with their talents with spin."

The County go into the match in sixth place in the table with a record of one win, one defeat and three draws.

Sussex are one place below them but have played one less match than Hick's men.

In the corresponding match against Sussex at Hove last season, the County won by seven wickets.

In the return at New Road Sussex triumphed by eight wickets.

Worcs (from): Weston, Singh, Hick (capt.), Solanki, Leatherdale, Kadeer Ali, Bichel, Rhodes, Lampitt, Rawnsley, Sheriyar, Kabir Ali.