Moeen Ali cannot wait to get back into action at Bristol tonight as Worcestershire take the field for the second time this week hoping to wrap up the Pro 40 League Division One title.

Victory over Northamptonshire on Sunday, thanks to Moeen's magnificent 46-ball century, took Steve Rhodes' side to within a point of their first trophy in 13 years.

It is still possible that Worcestershire may already have done enough, regardless of how things go against Gloucestershire at Nevil Road this evening and in Sunday's trip to relegated Warwickshire.

They have a superior run rate to Hampshire and the south coast club have a tough final game at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Stand-in skipper Gareth Batty has already emphasised the importance of doing things in style by maintaining Worcestershire's unbeaten run in this competition right to the end.

Meanwhile, Moeen is insistent that he and his cousin Kabir must win the private Ali family battle of honour in the first meeting of the eldest three sons of the cricketing mini-dynasty.

"There's never been a game in which all three of us have played before," he said. "I suppose it's a tricky one for my dad as to who to support. Kabir's dad is a bit more on the Worcester side but really I don't think they're too bothered who wins. They just hope we all do well."

Moeen certainly did on Sunday He scored the second-fastest oneday century by a Worcestershire batsman, beaten only by Graeme Hick's 44-ball hundred on the same ground in the Twenty20 Cup in June and equalling the fourth-best of all time in English List A cricket.

"I've been frustrated with myself this season," admits Moeen. "After coming over from Edgbaston last winter, I knew it would be hard to break in.

"Things started off well but they faded away in the middle but hopefully this is now going to turn out to a good end and at least I've now shown I can play.

"I was pleased with the way I played in the Championship game last week but on Sunday I just felt in the groove; it was one of those days when you just feel you can hit everything."

Moeen's performance proved all the more timely. Having already lost Phil Jaques and captain Vikram Solanki to international duty, Worcestershire were further weakened by the loss through injury of one-day stalwart Ben Smith.

Smith was indeed badly missed in his now customary role of mainstay in the latter stages as Worcerstershire wilted. And, although Moeen's efforts in taking advantage of the fielding circle in the first 15 overs made sure that did not matter against a weak Northamptonshire team, a repeat tonight will be punished by a side as competitive as Gloucestershire.

Worcestershire's recent one-day record against their southern neighbours is not good. They have lost 16 of the last 21 one-day meetings between the two sides, including two Lord's finals and a record of eight defeats in nine games in the Twenty20 Cup. Three of those have been this summer, with two under the lights at Bristol.

Although it needed the help of the Duckworth/Lewis method on each occasion, Worcestershire have at least won their last two Sunday League meetings, both of them at Bristol. And Batty is determined to make light of Solanki's absence, by stretching his side's unbeaten one-day record to ten games and lifting the trophy tonight.

"When the Pro 40 started in July, I can't honestly say we were looking for this to be a distraction to the Championship," he said. "There was a feeling in the dressing room that we'd still get out of danger in four-day cricket but, having said that, after all the disappointments in the Championship, to win this would make up for it.

"We thought back in July that everything was starting to click and it certainly has now."

Batty also makes it quite clear, however, that even if he does become the first Worcestershire captain since Tim Curtis at Lord's in 1994 to lift a trophy, he is only the deputy.

"I enjoyed it on Sunday especially as so many of the plans we had came off, " he said. "We set out to do a job and went one better but it's difficult getting your own game in order when you're captain and I'm very much keeping the seat warm for Vikram.

"He's the catalyst, it's his job and he was the first to text me after the game and say 'well done and to stick it to them on Thursday.'"

* Worcestershire will today mourn the passing of a player who dates back to the 1930s. Denis Evers, who played 15 first-class games for the county between 1936 and 1938, was the county's oldest living player until he died last week in Devon at the age of 94. His funeral service will take place at Holy Trinity Church, Belbroughton.