Steelbacks batsman Rossington facing race against time to be fit for Bears showdown

Rossington received a nasty looking blow to his right hand when fending off a rising delivery from fast bowler Ollie Sale in Sunday's nine-run win over Somerset.

Although he went on to hammer a crucial 51 from just 31 balls in the Steelbacks' 171 for six, the injury meant he was unable to keep wicket in the Somerset innings, with Ricardo Vasconcelos deputising behind the stumps.

Head coach David Ripley confirmed that the blow hit Rossington on the same finger that has been troubling him in recent weeks, and saw him left out of the Bob Willis Trophy win over Glamorgan, but he is hoping he will still be able to play in this week's two remaining T20 matches.

Tuesday's showdown with the Bears is followed by a trip to Edgbaston to take on Glamorgan in front of the Sky Sports TV cameras on Thursday, and Ripley said: "We are a bit concerned about Adam's finger.

"He had an injury coming into the game, and it is the same finger so that is a bit of a concern for us, but Adam is such a key player that hopefully that won't be such bad news.

"Maybe the break we have with the four-day game (Northants play Gloucestershire in their final Bob Willis Trophy on Sunday) might come at a good time to help him get ready if it continues to be sore.

"But I wouldn't rule him out of the next game just yet, he is a bit of a fighter and he will be taking his tablets and seeing if he can get himself fit for that."

If Rossington doesn't make it to face the Bears, Vasconcelos would step into the wicket-keeper/batsman breach, and it could be that Rossington is played purely as a batsman, with one of the all-rounders dropping out.

The match at the County Ground on Tuesday starts at 6.30pm.

Steelbacks go into the game as the leaders of the Central Group, with five points out of a possible six thanks to their two wins over the weekend, and the point from last week's washed out match at Gloucestershire.