WORCESTERSHIRE skipper Daryl Mitchell has been working 12 hours a day with the club’s medical team to try and ensure he is fit for this evening’s Natwest T20 Blast quarter-final with Hampshire at New Road.

Mitchell suffered a hamstring injury when batting during the Royal London One-Day Cup match with Surrey at the Kia Oval 10 days ago.

County first team physio Ben Davies says it is the type of injury that usually requires two to three weeks before a player can return to action.

But Mitchell’s determination to play, and the expert work of Davies and fitness and conditioning coach Ross Dewar, has given the 31-yearold a realistic chance of being available to lead the Worcestershire side in their first ever home T20 quarterfinal.

Davies said: “Mitch had a hit (with the bat) and did some controlled fielding on Wednesday and did some fielding practice and had a hit yesterday.

“If all goes well, he will be straight in Friday and play.”

The New Road physio added: “Ideally we would have liked two to three weeks but, with it being a home quarter- final and your captain, you’ve just got to push to try and get him fit.

“Bumpy (director of cricket Steve Rhodes) was desperate for him to be fit and Daryl has been in since 7.30am every morning with us trying to get him fit.

“He has been doing 12 hours a day pretty much with myself and Dewsy.

“Our job is to get that player back and on the field as quick as we can. It keeps the coaches happy and keeps the player happy. It’s a calculated risk but we’ve done all we can to make sure he is fit.

“I’ll still be a little bit nervous today when he is going out to bat and field.

“But if we can get him through and back from a hamstring tear in 10 days, myself and Ross will be really pleased with what we’ve done with him.”