worcestershire have been handed a major fitness boost with in form all-rounder wayne parnell given the green light to return to action in the next specsavers county championship clash against lancashire at New Road.
parnell suffered a hamstring injury during the first meeting with the red rose county at emirates old trafford last week after top-scoring with 63 and taking five wickets during the first innings.
but the 29-year-old is back running after being diagnosed with only a low grade tear and will be ready for the county’s next game beginning on june 10.
ben davies, worcestershire’s head of sports science and medicine, confirmed: “wayne picked up a hamstring injury at lancashire last week in between innings which was a real shame.
“but he has settled down really nicely and we will rehab him and he will return for the next first team fixture.
“he just missed out on the middlesex game. it is a low grade tear. he is back to running and is not too far off. he will be fully fit for the lancashire game.”
parnell was worcestershire’s leading wicket-taker with 22 in the royal london one-day cup.
there is also encouraging news about paceman dillon pennington who suffered an ankle fielding during fielding practice last month.
davies said: “dillon has settled down really nicely from his ankle injury. he returned to bowling last friday in the nets and will return to club cricket (for shrewsbury) this saturday.
“we will build him up gradually and his first game back for the seconds will be a t20 next thursday (june 6) at stourport against warwickshire.
“he has done really, really well, is a few weeks ahead of schedule and we are really, really pleased. he has worked so hard, doing double sessions every day, trying to get fit as quick as he can.”
fellow paceman george scrimshaw will also return to bowling next week after suffering a sore back.
davies said: “scrimmy is doing really well. he will get back to bowling next week and we will build him nice and gradual and reintroduce him to the second team.
“he is doing two sessions a day, trying to get back as quick as we can, and turned it around quite quickly.”
