Head Coach Alex Gidman expects strong and healthy competition for places within the Worcestershire squad ahead of the 2022 season.
Worcestershire have recruited overseas player Azhar Ali, batters Ed Pollock and Taylor Cornall, and paceman Ben Gibbon to their squad.
There will be plenty of battles for spots during the 11 days of warm-up matches against Oxford UCCE (3 days), Warwickshire (3), Durham UCCE (3) and Hampshire (2), before the LV=Insurance County Championship opener away to Leicestershire starting on April 7.
Gidman said: “We’ve got a really healthy squad, the changing room is in a great place, they are all really, really happy, and they are getting on with each other exceptionally well.
“They’ve worked hard together as a group. Brett (D’Oliveira) has done an outstanding job already as captain, and we’ve got a group of players who are all on the same page.
“They are incredibly excited to try to play their best possible cricket for the club, which is essential, and with that comes competition for places.
“We’ve got some young batters who are desperate to get into the team, and some more experienced batters who are desperate to stay in the team, so it is a very healthy place to be.
“Equally, with the bowlers, the younger bowlers are doing their very best to improve very quickly under Alan (Richardson), and the other coaches and I’m sure there will be some very healthy competition there as well.”
Gibbon and Cornall are new to the professional game and made a big impression on Gidman and the coaching staff.
He said: “Their cricket maturity for their age is outstanding. They are very clear on what they want to do, how they go about their business.
“They talk very maturely about the game, and you kind of think they have been playing for two or three years, actually.
“You can tell they’ve had a slightly different journey to this point. They’ve had to work extremely hard to get here, which they have.’
“It is great for them to have earned this opportunity, and they are both performing well so far this winter. They will certainly be pushing for places, like a handful of players will be, at the beginning of the season.”
