WORCESTERSHIRE hope to have Kabir Ali back before the end of the season.

The New Road side have had the report of the country’s joint leading wicket-taker’s back scan which has given director of cricket Steve Rhodes an air of optimism.

While they are still awaiting a doctor’s report from that scan, the County hope Kabir will be back to spearhead their assault on the LVCC Division Two title before the final game against Middlesex.

“The scan report was more promising than we had hoped,” Rhodes said. “The scan showed there is damage to Kabir’s back but not to the degree that we first thought.

“Now it is a case of getting him fit and hopefully we will have him back to play some cricket before the end of the season.”

The news on the England Lion will give Worcestershire a massive boost before the crucial LVCC title clash with Warwickshire on Tuesday and Rhodes is also confident Graeme Hick will be fit.

The 42-year-old missed Saturday’s 21-run win over Gloucestershire in NatWest Pro40 Division One with a recurrence of an elbow injury that forced him out for two weeks at the start of the season.

“Graeme’s elbow is causing him some problems again and there was no way that he could have played against Gloucestershire,” Rhodes said.

“Hopefully he won’t need another operation and, as there are only a few more games of the season left, we are going to try and get Graeme through to the end of it.

“I’m optimistic he should be OK for Tuesday to bat and stand at second slip.”

Meanwhile, Rhodes hailed his wicketkeeper Steve Davies after the youngster scored a career one-day best against Gloucestershire.

He raced to a 75-ball century before his blistering knock came to an end on 119, while Stephen Moore hit his season’s one-day best of 46.

Davies, who scored his maiden one-day ton at Lancashire Lightning three weeks ago, is averaging 92.6 in this term’s 40-over competition.

“Davo is playing really well,” Rhodes added. “We did a bit of practise before the game and he said that he was feeling in good touch and I told him to carry it on.

“Stephen looked good too. He has been unlucky in the one-day games but, when you have scored as many runs as he has this season in the championship, it was only a matter of time before he got a score.”