T20 BLAST PREVIEW: Steelbacks coach Ripley names 13-man squad for Rapids test

The selection is pretty much as expected, with marquee overseas signing Mohammad Nabi unavailable as he undergoes his Covid quarantine following his arrival in the UK last weekend.

The Steelbacks other overseas star, South African Wayne Parnell, is in the squad and is set to make his T20 debut for the club, having already enjoyed a solid season in the LV= Insurance County Championship.

He will be facing his former team-mates as he left Worcestershire at the end of the 2019 season, having helped the club to the T20 Blast Final for two years in a row.

Brandon Glover is one of a number of players in the Steelbacks squad yet to play any competitive first team cricket for the club this season, but he has just returned from playing a part in the Netherlands ODI series success over Ireland in Utrecht.

The other County players set to play their first matches of the summer are skipper Josh Cobb, batsman Richard Levi and spinning all-rounder Graeme White.

Red ball skipper Adam Rossington will keep wicket.

Worcestershire Rapids are likely to name the same squad that battled to a thrilling tie in their opening match against reigning champions Notts Outlaws on Wednesday night.

The New Road side are set to field both of their overseas signings, who are Australian left-arm paceman Ben Dwarshuis and New Zealand leg spinner Ish Sodhi.

They are skippered by England World Cup winner Moeen Ali.

Friday's match at the County Ground starts at 7pm.

Steelbacks squad v Worcestershire Rapids: Josh Cobb (c), Nathan Buck, Brandon Glover, Rob Keogh, Richard Levi, Wayne Parnell, Adam Rossington (wk), Ben Sanderson, Tom Taylor, Charlie Thurston, Ricardo Vasconcelos, Graeme White, Saif Zaib

Likely Worcestershire Rapids squad: Riki Wessels, Brett D'Oliveira, Moeen Ali (c), Jake Libby, Ross Whiteley, Ben Cox (wk), Ed Barnard, Ben Dwarshuis, Josh Tongue, Dillon Pennington, Charlie Morris, Ish Sodhi, Tom Fell, Daryl Mitchell.