There was a danger of Worcestershire�..s seam attack becoming a oneman show until Matt Mason produced two consecutive matchwinning performances in the Championship. While Mason struggled with an early-season shoulder injury and was then granted compassionate leave following the death of his mother-in-law, Zaheer Khan led Worcestershire�..s attack, taking 55 wickets in his first nine games.

But Mason put himself firmly on course to take 50 wickets for the fourth consecutive season by completing an emphatic victory over Northamptonshire followed by a career-best 8 for 45 to seal a tense win over Gloucestershire.

�..It hasn�..t been an easy season for Matt for various reasons,�.� says Steve Rhodes, Worcestershire�..s director of cricket. �..We�..ve done a bit of work with him trying to get him to bowl a bit straighter. He�..s always been tight but he�..d got a bit wide. He�..s bowling wicket-to-wicket again and he�..s got his rewards.�.� Rhodes may be pleased with his seam attack but he is looking to add depth to his batting and Worcestershire have made a formal request to speak to Warwickshire�..s highly rated but out-of-contract England Under-19 batsman Moeen Ali.

The Wisden Cricketer, Paul Bolton