NEW overseas player Miguel Cummins will have the honour of becoming the 500th player to represent the County in the Specsavers County Championship in tomorrow's Division Two encounter with leaders Essex at Chelmsford.

The West Indian paceman will reach the milestone when making his debut for the County as a replacement for Kyle Abbott for the final three matches of the campaign.

It is 117 years since Worcestershire entered the competition for the first time in May 1899.

Cummins follows Matt Henry (496), Mitchell Santner (497), Abbott (498) and George Rhodes (499) in adding to the list this summer.

Current director of cricket Steve Rhodes is 366 on the list and assistant coach-bowling coach Matt Mason is 417 with skipper Daryl Mitchell 432.

Mason is relishing the prospect of working with Cummins who impressed in the recent Test series against India.

He said: "I'm really looking forward to seeing him. I've only seen him on the TV during his first Test match and he looked exciting and pacey. He will be really keen to impress.

"You always get excited when you see new players because, when you see them on TV, it is not quite the same.

"Seeing him live will be really good and hopefully give us a chance to push for a victory at Essex which is key to our promotion hopes on the back of the good win over Northants.

"We've got some tired guys out there at the moment so having some fresh legs and body on the ground and fresh attitude will be good and I'm looking forward to seeing him go."