WORCESTERSHIRE'S plans for a beat-the-clock helicopter flight to enable Glenn McGrath to play in next week's home County Championship Division Two match against Warwickshire have been grounded.

The match has now been brought forward a day dashing the County's hopes of having him back from Australia in time to face the 'Old Enemy'.

The game was originally due to have started next Tuesday -- the same day that McGrath was due to touch down at Heathrow at 6.30am.

But because of Warwickshire's NatWest Trophy semi-final win over Hampshire at the weekend, the New Road 'derby' has been brought forward to enable their Edgbaston rivals to have a free day on the Friday to prepare for their appearance in the final at Lord's on Saturday, August 26.

If the match had opened on the original day, the County were planning to send a helicopter to pick up McGrath and get him back to Worcester for 9am in readiness for the scheduled 11am start.

The pace star is currently 'Down Under' playing in a three-match series of one-day internationals against South Africa.

Also missing for the Warwickshire game will be Graeme Hick, on England duty, and paceman Kabir Ali, who will be involved in the England Under 19 Test against Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile, Worcestershire moved two points clear at the top of the Norwich Union National League Division One table yesterday after their match against Sussex at New Road was abandoned because of rain.

Only 19 deliveries were possible before the game was eventually called off at 5.55pm.

Sussex, after being put in, made 15 for the loss of Chris Adams who was caught at slip by Hick off paceman Chris Liptrot.