SIMON Jones and Matt Mason are on course to be fit and firing for the start of the new season according to Worcestershire's director of cricket Steve Rhodes.

The 2005 England Ashes hero is bowling well in the nets at Edgbaston as the County's winter training continues, while Perth-born Mason is back home in Western Australian and working well in the nets.

Rhodes is also pleased with the progress that his six players who are playing cricket in warmer climes this winter.

Welshman Jones, who played in a celebrity Twenty20 game in Hollywood after starring in a Bollywood movie in Australia last month, has impressed the New Road chief with his dedication to rediscovering the form that sent Australia packing in 2005.

Rhodes said: "I'm very, very pleased to say that Simon is looking in good shape, bowling well and has no injuries.

"We need to make sure that we manage him properly throughout the season, but he is absolutely desperate to play."

Jones' likely strike partner Mason, who missed the majority of last season with a shoulder injury, is player-coach for Claremont-Nedlands in Australia and is well on the road to recovery.

"Matt has undergone a full course of rehab and has been working very hard to get his shoulder in shape," said Rhodes. "I spoke to him the other day and he tells me that he is bowling in the nets and is pain free.

"More importantly he is not getting any stiffness in the shoulder the following day."

Having missed out on the England Lions tour after touring with the England Performance Programme, Moeen Ali headed of to South Africa in December where he has not only been among the runs but the wickets too.

Rhodes is planning to use the 20-year-old as his second spinner in the new season and his performances with the ball this winter for St Augustine Cricket Club in Cape Town have pleased the New Road director of cricket.

"Since Moeen has been in Cape Town he has scored three centuries and has taken a seven-wicket haul and a four-wicket haul with his off-spin."

Two other players who missed out on the current Lions tour to India, Kabir Ali and Steven Davies, due to ankle and knee injuries respectively are back and fit, while Richard Jones, Josh Knappett, Chris Whelan and Alexei Kervezee have all been playing in Australia.