Glover and Zaib in line for Steelbacks return

Steelbacks are set to be boosted by the return of fast bowler Brandon Glover and all-rounder Saif Zaib for Tuesday night's Vitality T20 Blast clash with Worcestershire Rapids at the County Ground (6.30pm start).
Steelbacks fast bowler Brandon GloverSteelbacks fast bowler Brandon Glover
Steelbacks fast bowler Brandon Glover

The duo are available again having missed the club's past two matches due to the fact they have been self isolating after being caught up in the Covid-19 chaos that engulfed the club last week.

They last appeared for the Steelbacks in the win over Glamorgan at Edgbaston on September 3, but are set to return to starting line-up to take on a Rapids side that sit rock-bottom of the Central Group.

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Without the duo, David Ripley's side have turned in two underwhelming performances to lose by 35 runs to Gloucestershire and by seven wickets to Glamorgan, and the head coach admits they could go straight back into the team.

Saif ZaibSaif Zaib
Saif Zaib

"They were both allowed to train on Monday, so we have a training session with those guys and they went pretty well," said Ripley.

"Obviously they haven't been able to practice, apart from in their back garden, and they have been playing a bit of back yard cricket when I have looked over the fence once or twice!

"But that all goes into the pot, and the week we had (due to the Covid-19 case) hasn't done us any favours and it is another decision that we have to make, do we lob them in a bit under cooked because they played well before? Or do we stick with the lads that have been training?

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"But the fact uis even they have missed several practice sessions anyway because we couldn't train.

"My gut feeling is that we will probably bring them straight back in because we have lost two games without them.

"They are different to what we have got, Brandon is our fastest bowler and in Saif you have a genuine all-rounder, with bat, bowl and spin."

Ripley admits he has other selection posers as well, and that other players are also stating their case to break into the misfiring team.

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"Rob Keogh has also been hitting the ball really well," he said.

"Ricardo Vasconcelos has played two good innings, Tom Sole's fielding has been outstanding in every game he has played, and we know his strength with the bat is coming in towards the end of an innings.

"So we will still have a lot of strong selections to make, which means we are still in a good spot I think."

Steelbacks squad v Worcestershire Rapids: Cobb, Buck, Glover, Keogh, Levi, Procter, Rossington, Sanderson, Sole, Stirling Vasconcelos, Wakely, G White, Zaib