Injured Rushworth aiming for September return

Chris Rushworth took a record 603 first-class wickets for Durham and has taken 73 for Warwickshire at an average of 21.38

Warwickshire first-team coach Ian Westwood says veteran seamer Chris Rushworth is determined to get back fit in time for the run-in to the County Championship season in September.

The 38-year-old pulled his hamstring after bowling three overs on the first morning of the Bears' last red-ball match, against Sussex, which ended on Wednesday in a draw.

Rushworth will miss Warwickshire's remaining Championship matches this month against Worcestershire at Edgbaston, starting on 22 July, and the trip to Essex which begins a week later.

The former Durham seamer, whose contract runs out at the end of the season, missed the start of the campaign with a calf injury and his latest setback came in just his second appearance of the summer.

"He's obviously down," Westwood told BBC Radio WM.

"He's gone in his hammy, which is always disappointing, but when you do it early in a game particularly right at the start in that first innings, it's a double whammy."

Rushworth took 53 wickets in his first season with Warwickshire in 2023 after moving on from Durham following a wicket-record breaking 19 years.

Injuries restricted him to only six matches last summer and his only completed appearance this season saw him take seven wickets in the rain-affected draw against the Pears at New Road in May.

As for Rushworth's chances of playing a part in the Bears final three red-ball games in September against Surrey at The Kia Oval, at home to Essex and the trip to Nottinghamshire, Westwood is staying optimistic.

"Rushy, to his credit, it still determined to try to get himself fit and put his name in the hat for those final three games, which might be really important," he said.

Warwickshire are currently fifth in the Division One table, on 117 points, 23 points behind leaders - and defending champions - Surrey.