WORCESTERSHIRE County Cricket Club received a massive boost today with the news that pace star Andy Bichel will be available for the start of the new season.

He is expected to be back at New Road in two weeks' time and should now play the full season for the County.

The news follows the Australian Cricket Board's decision to cancel their team's tour of Zimbabwe in the wake of widely-criticised elections that returned Robert Mugabe to power.

Bichel's availability means that his temporary overseas replacement Stuart Clark will not now be needed by the County.

Worcestershire's chief executive Mark Newton said: "We telephoned Stuart today to say that he's no longer required. He's obviously disappointed, but fully understands the situation.

"Andy is expected to be back on April 10 subject to confirmation.

"It was the proviso that if Andy was available Stuart would not be required. We are all obviously delighted that Andy can join us."

Thirty-one year-old Bichel was the County's player of the year last season after taking over from his fellow Aussie Glenn McGrath.

He ended up as Worcestershire's leading wicket-taker in the County Championship (66), Norwich Union League Division Two (27), Benson and Hedges Cup (nine, jointly with Alamgir Sheriyar) and Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy (eight).

Australia's foreign minister Alexander Downer had urged the ACB to scrap next month's tour, saying it would send the wrong signals to the new government.

"What President Mugabe has done in the last couple of weeks, simply stealing an election through cheating ... we hardly, as a country, would want to feel that we were providing one of the greatest rewards by sending the world's leading cricket team to a cricket-loving country," he said.

Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs had earlier advised Australians to put off travelling to Zimbabwe for holiday or business purposes.

Downer said that because Australian prime minister John Howard had played a leading role in Zimbabwe's suspension from the Commonwealth, the players could become targets.