JOE Clarke is on track to be fit for the second leg of the England Lions’ winter programme this month.

The Worcestershire wicketkeeper-batsman suffered a quad thigh injury during training after the first of five T20 matches against Pakistan A in Dubai and missed the rest of the series.

The Lions fly out to the UAE today to play five 50-over games against Pakistan A.

Nineteen-year-old Clarke said: “The injury was frustrating but you have to put things in perspective. It is probably the only blip I’ve had in my short career.

“We did some sprint work and I just felt it go. It is not really a massive blip. I tried to work hard to get fit for the last two T20 games.

“But we sat down and said it wasn’t worth the risk of trying to push it for those and then not be fit for the stuff after Christmas.

“We wanted to make sure I was fit for the 50-over games, which I was really pleased to get selected for and am really looking forward to taking part in.

“I’ve been doing quite a lot of rehab to get ready for when we go away again. Ben Davies (Worcestershire first-team physio) is happy with my progress.”

Meanwhile, Charlie Morris picked up four more wickets as the MCC beat a Western Province XI by nine wickets in a two-day match at the Vineyard Oval, Cape Town.

The Worcestershire paceman followed up his 4-20 in the first innings with 4-58 for match figures of 8-78 in 18.1 overs.

In the first innings, Morris bowled S Mallie (6) and L Van Vuuren (0), trapped K Sikiwiya (6) lbw and had U Qadir (12) caught behind by John Simpson as Western Province were dismissed for 95.

MCC achieved a first-innings lead of 209 with 304-6 thanks to Graham Grace (95) and Wes Durston (73).

Hereford-born Morris enjoyed his first success in the second innings when removing A Daniels (11) with the score on 56-3.

The 23-year-old then picked up three wickets in 12 balls, dismissing T de Beer (61), bowling Van Vuuren (4) for the second time in the game and claiming Sikiwiya lbw for a duck.

Western Province were all out for 221 and MCC reached their target of 13 for the loss of one wicket for their second win of the tour.