CHARLIE Morris looks forward to working with new Worcestershire head bowling coach Alan Richardson and picking the brains of experienced colleague Steve Magoffin.

The paceman played this winter for Tuggeranong Valley and ACT Comets before a side strain after Christmas meant he had to cut short his spell in Australia.

But Morris’ rehab is progressing well at Blackfinch New Road and he is keen to learn from ex-Worcestershire club-mate Richardson and Magoffin.

He said: “I was here when Richo was a player.

"In 2013 I played T20 and 50-over cricket but never actually played with Richo and that winter was when he left.

“I know him pretty well from his last year at the club and also from seeing him around since then with Warwickshire.

“I’m really looking forward to working with him. He gets on so well with everyone. Richo knows what the club is like, he has played here for so many years.

“He has worked with some great bowlers like Chris Woakes and a few others so it is going to be great to pick his brains when I get back to bowling.

“It will be good to ask him about stuff he has worked on with the likes of Woakes, get some more ideas and put them into practice.

“It is also good that Steve is back here as well.

“I played against Magsy a couple of times over the last few years. He just takes wickets for fun and it is going to be great to talk to him about bowling.

“He’s someone who is pretty relentless in the areas he hits and he has always been a bowler I’ve admired when we’ve played against him.

“To have him now with us and all his experience is fantastic.”

A scan Down Under had revealed a grade two side strain for Morris, 25, but he has started bowling drills with a view to playing a full part in the pre-season tour of Abu Dhabi which gets under way on March 8.

Morris played a full part in Tuggeranong reaching the semi-finals of the McDonald’s ACT Premier Cricket first grade one-day competition.

County head of science and medicine Ben Davies said: “Charlie picked up a bit of a side strain while he was bowling in Canberra.

"He got himself a scan out there and saw a physio. A grade two side strain is pretty common for fast bowlers. But since he’s come back he’s settled really quickly with his rehab.

“Everything has gone pretty smoothly so far.

"For a grade two, you are looking at six to eight weeks without bowling, including your back-to-bowling drills. I reckon in Abu Dhabi he will be off his full run again.”

Batsman Ollie Westbury has recovered from the broken thumb which cut short his winter in Australia playing grade cricket for Scarborough.