MOEEN Ali will return to the Worcestershire Rapids side for tonight's NatWest T20 Blast clash with Northamptonshire Steelbacks at Wantage Road (6.30pm).

The all-rounder has been made available by England to make his first appearance in the competition this season.

Moeen has happy memories of matches at Northampton, having been man of the match there in his last three appearances in the T20.

Director of cricket Steve Rhodes said: "He is a class act, we welcome him back, he is great fun and someone all the guys respect hugely in our dressing room and he sort of flies the flag for Worcestershire in that England side.

"Any opportunity to play Mooen, we really do enjoy him coming back into the fold and he loves the dressing room.

"It's great to have such a top-class international cricketer coming back to us."

Moeen played seven matches in the T20 Blast last season, scoring two fifties including a superb 90 at Wantage Road.

The 28-year-old is part of a 14-man squad with seamer Jack Shantry also potentially returning into the first XI.

Moeen is added to the party selected for last night's home T20 Blast triumph over Yorkshire Vikings, which was North Group leaders Rapids' third win in a row.

Squad: Moeen, Kohler-Cadmore, Clarke, Kervezee, Mitchell, D'Oliveira, Whiteley, Cox, Henry, Barnard, Shantry, Leach, Russell, Morris.