GARETH Batty and Andrew Hall are set to make their first Frizzell County Championship Division One appearances of the season in Worcestershire's match against Lancashire which opens at Old Trafford tomorrow.

Spinner Batty is back at New Road after England duty in the West Indies while Hall played in the weather-hit game with the New Zealanders which ended in a draw yesterday following a tremendous double century from Graeme Hick.

All-rounder Hall missed the opening two Championship games again Kent and Sussex as he had not returned from action in his native South Africa.

New Road director of cricket Tom Moody said: "Batty definitely comes in. We'll be taking two spinners because we are not quite sure what we are going be faced with up there. So Shaftab is in the squad and Hall also comes in for his first Championship match."

Worcestershire will be looking for their first Championship victory of the season after losing by five wickets at Kent and drawing their rain-blitzed game against Sussex at New Road.

Moody said: "Lancashire have an excellent squad. They boast a few internationals and I think, quite rightly, they are one of the favoured teams to win the Championship this season.

"So it's a great opportunity for us and we are looking forward to that challenge.

"We're also looking forward to going back to Old Trafford. It's been a year or two since we've been up there, but when we have been there we have always enjoyed playing Lancashire.

"When both teams were on top of their game in the early 1990s we had a number of clashes, including a Lord's final which I have fond memories of."

"They are a good team and I think they bring the best out of Worcestershire so let's hope that happens over the next four days up there."