AUSTRALIAN wicketkeeper Michael Johnson has been promoted into the Worcestershire squad for the LV= County Championship Division Two match at Leicestershire, which starts tomorrow (11am).

The 25-year-old comes into director of cricket Steve Rhodes’ 12-man group at the expense of Ben Cox for the trip to Grace Road as Worcestershire bid to keep their promotion hopes alive.

Johnson, in his first season at New Road, has not featured for the first team since the 10-wicket defeat against Northamptonshire in June.

But he has been rewarded for a series of impressive performances in the County’s second string, including knocks of 168 and 100 against Leicestershire earlier this month, and Birmingham League Premier Division side Wellington.

“He went out of the side mid-way through the season through a lack of runs and Ben Cox replaced him,” Rhodes said.

“He struggled in the first team but he’s had two centuries in the seconds and got an 80 in the league last Saturday so he’s pushed his way back into the side on runs.”

It is otherwise an unchanged squad for a match Worcestershire need points from to keep themselves in the promotion picture.

The fifth-placed side are currently 43 points behind Northamptonshire in second with only four games of the campaign remaining.

Leicestershire, who left New Road with a draw in May, prop up the table without a win to their name in 12 attempts this term but Rhodes is not expecting his side to get things all their own way.

The County chief, whose side completed their YB40 campaign with a seven-wicket drubbing by Sussex on Monday, said: “We play every game aware that points are at stake and we play every game to win but it doesn’t always work out.

“We have got to be respectful of all opponents. They might be bottom but they are due a win and those players will be playing for pride.”

Worcestershire (from): Mitchell, Pardoe, Moeen, Samaraweera, Fell, Leach, Whiteley, Choudhry, Johnson, Shantry, Cessford, Richardson.