BEN Twohig heads back to Worcestershire with three solid months of grade cricket in Australia under his belt after the 2019 season-ending anterior cruciate ligament injury.

The spinner has played regularly for Southern Districts in South Australia Cricket Association first grade and T20 cricket since late November.

Twohig also turned out for Unley in Adelaide Cricket Association mid-week matches and helped them reach the T20 final.

It has been an encouraging comeback as part of Twohig’s rehabilitation from his injury as he looks to challenge for a first-team spot this summer.

He played seven County Championship matches in the 2018 campaign.

In all cricket for Southern Districts Twohig, 21, had figures of 120.3-21-475-20 at an average of 23.75.

The ex-Malvern College pupil had first grade best figures of 3-55 against Sturt and 3-12 in T20 cricket versus Prospect.

Twohig also scored 264 runs in nine innings in all cricket for Districts at an average of 37.71 with a highest of 62 against Adelaide University in a first grade match.

For Unley, Twohig played six T20 games and his 2-11 in four overs against Hope Valley helped sealed a final spot.

His best performance with the bat was 53 versus Reynella.

County colleague Ben Cox also played for Districts either side of being called up by England Lions for the white-ball leg of their tour of Australia as a replacement for Tom Moores.

The wicketkeeper-batsman totalled 206 runs in 12 knocks for Districts with a best of 66 against Adelaide in a first grade fixture.

Meanwhile, Worcestershire 2020 overseas signing Hamish Rutherford finished top of Otago Volts' batting averages for the 2019-2020 Ford Trophy.

The opener scored 248 runs from five innings at an average of 62.00 and was seventh in the overall averages for the six-team competition.

He had the highest strike-rate of Otago’s front-line batsmen of 124.62 and was the joint leading six hitter for his team with eight.

Otago reached the final but lost by two wickets to hosts Auckland Aces.

However, coach Rob Walker felt Rutherford’s forced withdrawal when unbeaten on 36 was crucial.

The 30-year-old got hit on the helmet by Lockie Ferguson, did not pass a concussion test and was unable to further participate.

Worcestershire Cricket Society have postponed next week’s cricket evening with Fred Rumsey at Blackfinch New Road.

Rumsey, a former Worcestershire paceman and founder of the Professional Cricketers’ Association, had been scheduled to speak on Tuesday in the Graeme Hick Pavilion.

But given the current inclement weather sweeping across the county and flooding the society took an early decision to call off next week’s event.

Society secretary Mike Hitchings said: “We thought it was sensible to decide now to postpone the March 3 meeting given the extreme weather and flooding.

“We are hoping to rearrange for Fred to speak to the society at a later date and will keep members updated when there is any news.”