LUKE Wood is looking to help Worcestershire Rapids over the line after winning T20 finals day with Notts Outlaws last season.

The on-loan paceman, 23, has been a regular member of the Rapids attack on the way to reaching today's Vitality Blast home quarter-final with Gloucestershire (3pm).

Wood, who made six appearances for Outlaws in their successful 2017 Blast campaign, has relished his time at Blackfinch New Road which has been extended to include the T20 knockout stages.

He said of his spell: “It has been great — the way initially they welcomed me into the side and then to give me quite a key role really.

“I normally would bowl one or two overs in the powerplay and then maybe at the back end or maybe one in the middle.

“In the last couple of games I’ve bowled four overs. I know they can chuck me the ball at any time and they all back me to perform.

“As a bowling group we’ve been good throughout the tournament really.

“To get to another finals day would be nice. I’ve been there with Notts. If we keep playing like we have been we will be in pretty good shape for the quarter-final.

“It is a rare thing for a team to top the North Group in both competitions. It’s like last year when Notts won both white-ball competitions which is a pretty rare thing to do.

“It proves you are a good white-ball side and Worcestershire should take massive confidence.

“It’s not a fluke what they have achieved. They are clearly doing something right."

On Gloucestershire, Wood said: “Michael Klinger and Andrew Tye are good overseas players and they’ve got some good youngsters.

“No game is ever easy in T20, anyone can beat anyone, and we will just have to put in our best performance.”

He added: “Notts have been monitoring how I’ve been doing but just let me get on with it — not putting me under pressure.

“It’s nice to come into a different environment and see how other teams go about things. When this loan spell is up I can take things back that I’ve been involved in.

“I’ve really enjoyed it. It’s been brilliant for me.”

Brett D’Oliveira has been passed fit to be part of the Rapids squad for today.

The all-rounder suffered a finger injury when fielding during a second-team game at Barnt Green.

Moeen Ali has been released by England and will skipper the side.

Callum Ferguson will play the final game of his current spell although he is returning to Blackfinch New Road in 2019 for most of the season.

Ferguson will return to Australia early next week to prepare for the domestic campaign Down Under with South Australia.

Worcestershire from: Moeen, Clarke, Ferguson, Fell, D’Oliveira, Cox, Whiteley, Barnard, Parnell, Mitchell, Wood, Pennington, Carter, Brown.