WORCESTERSHIRE Royals director of cricket Steve Rho-des is waiting to hear if he’ll have Kabir Ali and Matt Mason available for selection again this season.

The pace bowling duo are having scans on their respective back and chest injuries to determine the extent of the problems.

If they are ruled out for the remainder of the campaign, the New Road side will be without their trio of senior seamers as Simon Jones is already sidelined with a knee injury.

Kabir and Mason pulled up during last week’s six-wicket County Championship victory at Essex leaving Worcestershire’s talented bowling de-partment down to the bare bones.

“We won’t know how long Kabir and Matt will be out for until we have had the results of the scans,” said Rhodes.

Kabir, the country’s leading wicket-taker, was due to have the scan on his back problem last night with the results expected later today, while Australian-born Mason was being seen today with his results due on Friday.

With his three frontline quicks out of action, Rhodes moved at the end of last week to bring in Nottinghamshire seamer Andrew (AJ) Harris on loan for four weeks instead of promoting from within.

The 35-year-old bowler went straight into the side for Sunday’s NatWest Pro40 Division One eight-wicket defeat to Durham Dynamos.

The last minute call to bring in Harris meant that the County did not have time to print a shirt with his name or squad number on, meaning he took to the field wearing Chris Whelan’s top.

The 21-year-old Scouser has been waiting patiently for his chance to return to the first XI and, while he is named in the squad to face Somerset Sabres in the day-night match at Taunton today (4.40pm), Rhodes is likely to stick with the same side that saw duty on Sunday.

“It’s unlikely that we’ll bring anyone else in on loan,” said Rhodes. “Andrew is an experienced pro and we have got Chris Whelan taking wickets for the seconds and knocking on the door and his opportunity may just come.”

Rhodes will be hoping that his side can put in a better display with the bat when they take on Somerset as the Taunton ground is traditionally a high-scoring pitch.

The Sabres’ Marcus Trescothick and Craig Kieswetter put on a record-breaking 302-run stand in their previous Pro40 match as Somerset scored 333-4 against Gloucestershire Gladiators but still lost.

WORCESTERSHIRE (from): Solanki (capt), Davies (wkt), Moore, Smith, Hick, Moeen, Mitchell, Batty, Andrew, Harris, Arif, Whelan.