Matt Henry is set to extend his stay with Worcestershire and help fill the gap left by the injury to fellow New Zealander Mitchell Santer.

The Black Caps paceman, currently recovring from a rib injury, was due to leave New Road towards the end of June but the plan is for now to remain for a longer period.

Henry has so far played in four Specsavers County Championship matches, taking 19 wickets and also scoring useful late order runs, in addition to the opening four Natwest T20 Blast group games.

He may now also participate in Royal London One-Day Cup cricket although that was not part of the original schedule agreed with New Zealand.

Santer was due to be Worcestershire's overseas player for the entire T20 Blast but played only one game before having to end his spell because of a broken finger which required surgery.

Worcestershire Director of Cricket Steve Rhodes said: "At the moment the plan will be to extend Matt's contract for a bit longer.

"That will enable us to play both of them (Henry and Kyle Abbott) in the T20 should we want to do that.

"That will fill the gap (that Santner would have filled) but it will also help the situation regarding our bowlers.

"It will help in making sure we get the right balance with strength and conditioning work and rest as well as playing time to try and make sure our bowlers last all the way through to August-September which is the plan of what we are trying to do."

Rhodes explained the schedule that was mapped out with New Zealand cricket for 24-year-old Henry.

He said: "Matt was mapped out to play certain games and we were dove-tailing Mitch Santner with him.

"With Mitch's unfortunate situation, it has put more pressure on Matt but it has also meant we are going into games without one (an overseas player) occasionally.

"Was Matt ever going to play 50 over cricket? No he wasn't. He might do now. We've got the all clear (from New Zealand) to play him if we need him."