Alex Gidman is looking forward to his first derby clash for Worcestershire against Warwickshire after being delighted to play a crucial role for his new county in the win over Somerset.
Gidman's three and a half hour innings of 78 was key in establishing the platform which saw Ben Cox and Joe Leach compile a superb partnership of 158 and swing the momentum Worcestershire's way in the first innings.
The 33-year-old has enjoyed his first winter with his new team-mates after moving from Gloucestershire after more than a decade and is happy to get runs on the board.
Gidman said: "It was very nice. The whole thing has been a real good challenge and really exciting for me but the one thing I needed was just to get some runs.
"Personally it's nice to get that score under your belt, particularly at home, and take a catch as well.
"This week has been a great one for me and I'm glad I played a part in the victory and hopefully there are many more to come.
"I've just been trying to occupying the crease for as long as I can and thankfully I managed to do that and get some runs as well.
"It was nice to be in some good partnerships. I think that was crucial, just to get a couple of decent 50 odd partnerships which got us through those tricky periods when the ball got soft and we could cash in when the boys came in and played their shots."
Gidman looked set for another New Road century, having scored a superb 145 for Gloucestershire against Worcestershire last August, until he fell victim to a stunning catch by Johann Myburgh at point off Craig Overton.
He said: "I got out to a good catch. I smashed the ball as well which was a shame. "It was one of those where I play the same shot over and over again and just obviously try and miss the fielder.
"But it was one of those things. It is part of the game unfortunately. I would have really loved to have kicked on a bit more – but that's the way the game goes."
Gidman praised the team performance in securing an innings and 62 runs victory with a day and a half to spare.
He said: "All the boys are well chuffed as you would expect. We fought really hard and we felt we played some good cricket in the first two games and obviously came up short.
"But that was the full performance and a really good team effort. There were some outstanding individual performances but as a group we all did our jobs really well and that was the outcome, Awesome.
"To get that team performance, you obviously need guys to chip in and we all try and do our jobs as well as we can.
"Some days it is some people and some days it is others and that's the way it goes.
"It was really satisfying for all of us to play a part in what was a really good team performance and secure the win which we were all after.
"Now we've got the derby with Warwickshire and I've heard it is a good rivalry, good, hard but fair. I'm looking forward to it."
