GARETH Batty remains a major injury doubt as Worcestershire travel to his native Yorkshire tomorrow aiming for vital Frizzell County Championship Division Two points.

The Bradford-born spinner was sidelined with a swollen finger last Sunday when the County demolished Gloucestershire by eight wickets in the totesport League.

Vice-captain Batty, a professional at the white rose county in 1997, cut his bowling finger in the field during the Championship stalemate with Leicestershire last week.

Seamer Nadeem Malik is on stand-by to replace the 27-year-old England Test man, although Worcestershire head coach Steve Rhodes is desperate for his premier slow bowler to shake off the wound.

"At the moment, Batty is doubtful," said Rhodes. "I was very surprised that he did not play against Gloucestershire.

"I thought he would be fit, but the swelling had not gone down and while he was OK to bat the other day, he could not hold the ball.

"There is an element of doubt because it's his bowling finger. He had a thumb problem before, but he cut his finger in the game against Leicestershire fielding the ball.

"It then had swollen up with the wound. Consequently, he lost a little bit of feeling and, for a spinner, that is quite important.

"But we've got Ray Price and he's done a great job. He's a very important member of the side because he's left-arm for one thing.

"He gives us natural variety and the way he's bowled so far this year, it was no fluke that he did well in international cricket for Zimbabwe."

Batty's late withdrawal against Glou-cestershire proved a blessing in disguise, with Pakistan paceman Shoaib Akhtar earning an impromptu recall to post Worcestershire's best-ever one-day league bowling figures.

Shoaib was at times breathtakingly unplayable when reeling in 6-16 -- his third five-wicket haul in a chequered overseas campaign at New Road.

Rhodes is tipping Shoaib to weave his world-class magic at Headingley, where victory is essential to keep Worcestershire's Division Two promotion hopes alive.

Rhodes said: "We were going to rest Shoaib against Gloucestershire so he was fighting fit for Yorkshire. But once Gareth was unfit, we needed a bowler coming in.

"Shoaib was magnificent. And if he can bowl like he did at Northamptonshire earlier this season, we are going to win the game at Headingley.

"The way he bowls, there's a lot of exertions on his body and we have to nurse him along to make sure he is fully fit. When he is raring to go, you see the result."