VIKRAM Solanki is set to overcome a slight back strain to play for Worcestershire Royals in tomorrow's totesport League Division Two match with bottom-of-the-table Scotland at the Grange Cricket Club in Edinburgh.

It was decided to rest him last night when he was due to have played for the County in director of cricket Tom Moody's Twenty20 Testimonial match against a World XI.

"He should be OK for tomorrow," said New Road chief executive Mark Newton, who revealed that the County will again be without Andy Bichel.

The Australian pace star missed last Sunday's rain-affected defeat at Derbyshire Scorpions because of a shoulder problem.

"He's alright to bat, but not to bowl although he should be alright for Friday's Twenty20 Cup game with Gloucestershire, " said Newton.

Bichel batted for the World Xl last night but did not bowl in a match which attracted a crowd of more than 2,000.

The County players were due to fly out from Birmingham Airport later today and will be returning on Thursday morning.

Scotland, who have won just one of their nine matches so far this season, could be without skipper Craig Wright.

He has suffered a recurrence of a hamstring problem which has been troubling him throughout the campaign.

Meanwhile, Worcestershire's Andrew Hall has dismissed speculation that he is to retire from international cricket.

The 28-year-old all-rounder said: "To say I am thinking about quitting playing for South Africa is absolute rubbish.

"That's one of the reasons why I come to England to play county cricket, to sharpen up my skills before tours with my country.

"I'm very much hoping that I'm going to be selected for the tour of Sri Lanka coming up."

Hall, who had surgery earlier this year on a back problem, added: "For the past two or three weeks I have been playing really confidently and starting to feel more comfortable. The back problem is behind me."

Worcs (from): Peters, Solanki, Kabir Ali, Hick, Smith, Hall, Leatherdale, Batty, Mason, Rhodes, Nadeem and Moore.