IT’S been a long, boring week for me.

I’ve found it frustrating not being able to get out there due to injury but things are progressing.

I did a bit of running last week and moving side-to-side as well as a few underarm throw downs in the nets.

I’m starting to do more on the strengthening side and the core stability programme has intensified a little bit — I’m getting there and still hoping I can get back for the Nottinghamshire game that starts on Sunday.

Having this torn intercostal is a nightmare as I’ve been lucky throughout my career with injuries.

This is the first time I have missed any cricket in my eight seasons at Worcestershire and I can’t wait to get back.

It is not until something is taken away that you realise how much you enjoy playing the game.

It’s been tough to watch the lads over last week, they have struggled.

Against Durham in LV= County Championship Division One, it was the same departments we had problems with — the third seamer role and batting again were not up to standard in the first innings.

We battled really hard in the second innings but I think the figures speak for themselves.

The top six or seven haven’t really contributed as many runs as we should and the averages show that.

The batting was again disappointing against Yorkshire in the Clydesdale Bank 40.

It wasn’t an easy New Road pitch to bat on but you have got to be able to set a score that you can defend.

If we had got 200 it would have been a decent score and given us something to bowl at.

Being restricted to 155-9 in our 40 overs, we were always short and there was no pressure on their batsmen.

There was a fine little partnership between James Cameron and 17-year-old Aneesh Kapil, though.

Aneesh was the shining light of the Yorkshire match, he had a good performance with the bat and did well with the ball.

He is one for the future but unfortunately Aneesh has had to go back to school this week and I’m sure he will feature again once he’s finished his exams.

But he’s far from quiet in the dressing room. He is a really likeable kid, brings a lot of enthusiasm and I think that shows in his cricket.

He’s full of confidence but sometimes he needs bringing down a peg or two!

It’s going to be an interesting week with some practice Twenty20 games in Shropshire on Thursday and then Scotland at home on Friday.

Twenty20 has not gone to plan in previous seasons so we are trying to get the best out of our practice to try and improve performances this year.

It has also been a nightmare week for recent signing Adrian Shankar.

He picked up a freak injury in the warm-up, popping his knee, and he was set to have a scan yesterday.

Hopefully, it’s not too serious and we can see Adrian out there soon to show us what he can do.