Josh Tongue says Worcestershire have "massive chance" of making immediate return to Division One

The 21-year-old seamer, who missed nearly three months of the 2018 season due to a stress fracture in his foot, declared the title is the club’s target in 2019

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Worcestershire’s Josh Tongue says the county are aiming to bounce back at the first time of asking having slipped out of the County Championship's top tier last summer. 

The 21-year-old seamer, who missed nearly three months of the 2018 season due to a stress fracture in his foot, declared the title is the club’s target in 2019.

“I think we try and win it again, like we did two years ago,” said Tongue.

“That’s our main goal. We’ve got a massive chance to get back up to Division One and winning the title this year.”

After taking 40 wickets in 11 games in 2018 - including career-best match figures of 9-98 against Essex - Tongue was due to link up with England Lions in UAE before Christmas but the injury meant it was a winter of gym work and getting back to bowling at Marlborough College in January.

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Worcestershire youngster Josh Tongue is hoping for an injury-free year

More miles have been put into the legs with the Pears spending two weeks in Abu Dhabi before Tongue picked up two wickets against Cambridge MCCU in the season’s final warm-up.

The injury has seen him make subtle changes to his action which Worcestershire will hope prevent a recurrence.

He said: “I’ve got my front foot more heel-down now. I’ve got a braced front leg so not as much force is going through my body.

“That’s what we’ve tried to do over the winter, get a longer delivery stride to help me as much as possible. When I had no braced front leg, the force was going up from my ankle into my back.”

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On the fitness front, Tongue credits new head coach Alex Gidman for upping the intensity.

He said: “He’s pushed us quite a lot in terms of fitness. The training has been the same sort stuff as last year but a bit more intense.

“It’s paying off. I’ve seen results in my fitness so it has been great for me to make sure I’m fit and make it through the whole of the season.

“Everyone’s looking a lot stronger and we just can’t wait to start now.”

Worcestershire open their County Championship season with a trip to Leicester on April 11.

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