INJURY-cursed seamer Matt Mason is facing a race against time to be fit for Worcestershire’s next LV= County Championship Division Two clash at Derbyshire in a fortnight’s time.
The veteran Australian bowler pulled up with a groin strain running in to deliver the second ball of his second over in last night’s Friends Provident t20 North Group match at Lancashire Lightning.
But despite the 36-year-old’s catalogue of injuries, including a rib problem that kept him out of the first eight weeks of the campaign, director of cricket Steve Rhodes insists it wasn’t a risk playing him in the fast and furious 20-over format.
With Richard Jones ruled out of the trip to Old Trafford due to illness, Alan Richardson struggling with an elbow problem and Chris Whelan still recovering from a number of injuries, the New Road chief plumped for his player-bowling coach.
“It wasn’t a risk playing him in the Twenty20, he has been fit as a flea and has been jumping up and down to play,” Rhodes said.
Despite the Royals only being one point adrift at the foot of the North Group, time is rapidly running out for them to make a charge for the quarter-final places.
Even five wins out their remaining five games might not be enough for them to reach the top four and their hopes could extinguished by the end of the week.
The crushing 46-run defeat at Lancashire was even harder to take for the New Road side given the fact Jack Shantry had taken two wickets in the opening over, while Sri Lankan Sanath Jayasuriya got the reply off to a rapid start.
The Lightning’s Tom Smith hit an unbeaten 92 to help the hosts post a formidable total of 170-5 before claiming three wickets.
But Rhodes felt it could have been a different story had Mason not had to limp off.
“That was a major blow to us losing Mase as he had bowled a very good first over,” Rhodes said.
“He looked dangerous and they looked as if they weren’t going to get him away and I did back him to bowl well at Tom Smith.
“We won’t know for sure for 24 hours how long he will be out, but our target is to try and get him right for our next four-day game in two weeks time - but even that is touch and go.
“The physio is optimistic he could make it, so that is the plan.
“Unfortunately for him it seems to one thing or another. Hopefully this is just a little problem for him is just two weeks.”
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