TABLE-topping Worcestershire Royals hope Glenn McGrath can say a temporary farewell tomorrow with another match-winning performance.

The County meet Northamptonshire Steelbacks in their floodlit Norwich Union National League Division One clash at Northampton just days before McGrath jets out to play for Australia in a series of indoor internationals against South Africa in Melbourne.

It means the pace ace will miss the forthcoming County Championship matches against Northamptonshire and Essex and two National League games with Sussex and Somerset before returning on August 21, the day before the home Championship match with Warwickshire at New Road.

McGrath said: "The last month or so has been a little disappointing.

"I felt we should have won our last National League game against Gloucestershire. We got in a good position, but dropped two quite easy catches which I think cost us the match.

"Hopefully, if we can finish off the way we started then I think we can win the National League and finish at least in the top three of the Championship."

Worcestershire go into tomorrow's match two points clear at the top of the table with New Road coach Bill Athey hoping for maximum points.

"It's a big game, but I've said many times already this year that every match that we play at the moment is a very big one," he said. "As long as we play well and to our potential we have got a very good chance."

Worcestershire will be without Graeme Hick who has returned to the England fold while up-and-coming paceman Kabir Ali is back after his successful exploits with England Under 19 in the one-day internationals against Sri Lanka.

The County are poised to name the same 12 which was selected for their National League game which ended in a disappointing three wicket defeat against Gloucestershire Gladiators at Cheltenham on July 16.

They will be bidding to complete the 'double' over Northamptonshire who lost by 47 runs under the Duckworth-Lewis system when they visited New Road on May 28.

Worcs (from): Pollard, Wilson, Weston, Solanki, Leatherdale, Driver, Rhodes, Lampitt, Illingworth, Kabir Ali, Rawnsley, McGrath.