WORCESTERSHIRE will face a captaincy dilemma if Graeme Hick becomes part of England's elite group of centrally-contracted players.

The County do not have a designated vice-captain if the New Road batsman is required for international duty.

Steve Rhodes is the likely stand-in as he took on the role of acting captain at the start of last season when Hick and Tom Moody were both involved in the World Cup.

But if Hick -- and possibly Vikram Solanki -- are included in the 16-strong squad of centrally-contracted players it would put a big strain on County's resources.

Worcestershire have already suffered the disappointment of being unable to call on new Australian signing Glenn McGrath at the start of the season.

The Australian pace ace misses the first three of the County's Benson and Hedges Cup games and also part of August because of international commitments.

England have already indicated that only exceptional circumstances would prevent players from performing for their counties between Test engagements.

But the coming season sees a busy schedule of England matches, including five Tests against the West Indies, two more against Zimbabwe plus a possible ten one-day internationals.

The centrally-contracted players -- to be named at Lord's next Wednesday -- will be limited to 16, which means a good number of experienced international performers will miss out, and some aspiring ones, too.

Players failing to make England's squad have been assured they should not regard their omission as an end to their Test hopes.

David Graveney, chairman of the England selectors, said in Harare: "I'm very conscious of making sure that our players within the domestic game don't feel their claims have been completely written off because they are not among the contracted players.

Members of the squad will still be free to play for the counties. Now, however, when England call, the clubs must release them.

There will be a compensation package for the counties to cover the players used, in the region of £50,000 per-man, though no names were mentioned by Graveney today.