Worcestershire held their latest Members Forum in the Graeme Hick Pavilion on the first morning of the current LV=Insurance County Championship match with Durham at New Road.
Company Secretary Sarah Gluyas, and Cricket Steering Group Chairman, Paul Pridgeon, gave Members a detailed update on matters on and off the field.
COMPANY SECRETARY SARAH GLUYAS
Car Parking and Ground Entry Arrangements
Sarah Gluyas said: “Myself and the other managers sat down to review Day 1 of the Sussex match and to consider at length the new car parking and ground entry arrangements. We asked ourselves how the arrangements has worked, what could we make as immediate changes and what we needed to think about it for future matches.
“Why are the arrangements different? Previously, if you go back to 2019, the arrangement was vehicles were able to enter via the Graeme Hick Pavilion entrance and drive around. There was a turnstile there, tickets and membership cards were checked at that point, so spectators had entered the stadium. Now the arrangements with the car parking are outside of the stadium area.
“Why have we done that? Regulations have changed that we need to comply with. As those regulations change, we always look to do what is the best way here at New Road, the best for our members and spectators as they come in, but we do have to comply with regulations.
“Customer service levels are important to us. We want it to be a straightforward entry for spectators. We are also very conscious that we have spectators that are less mobile even if not eligible for a blue badge. We have needed to consider operations. Another turnstile would be more resources, stewards, bag checking, and the equipment they need to check people in. We were thinking about all of those considerations, but what we kept coming back to is the issue of safety.
“Mixing people and vehicles in the same area is something that needs to be very careful considered and we need to keep that mix to a minimum. We have the Sports Ground Safely Authority here again in a month undertaking an inspection of New Road and we will discuss with them the arrangements that arein place but also the requests for change we’ve received and the feedback from members.
“But the short line is we have considered it very carefully and decided we can’t have another turnstile on the Cathedral side. We have put out additional signage to make it much clearer for people to know where the reception entrance is. Our stewards are looking to be as helpful as they can with anyone who needs help with carrying bags.”
Players-members partition in Graeme Hick Pavilion
Sarah Gluyas said: ”The feedback from players is for it to remain in place. They talked about the privacy they need during those meal times and intervals, and they are happy this arrangement gives them that.
“What has been re-introduced is for the players to spend time in the Hick Pavilion with Members at the close of play on day two. All Members will be welcome to come and join them. The players enjoy the interaction they have with you all.”
Team squad photograph on Worcestershire CCC website
Sarah Gluyas said: “We were asked about having names added to this photograph, and you will see that has been done.
“The coaching staff are also on there, and all of the playing staff have their headshots and their biographies on there already.
“The Women’s Rapids team have been added on there as well.”
Bag Searches
Sarah Gluyas said: “The stewards are not looking to see what you’ve got for lunch. This is a counter-terrorism measure. As much as we don’t necessarily dwell on this point publicly, this is something we have to do in the background, and we take very seriously. We are a first class cricket club, and some could think we are a soft target in a sleepy backwater, so we have to be sure we are vigilant against this. The searches are only random, it’s not everyone.”
The Scoreboard on the Cathedral side of the ground
Sarah Gluyas said: “There were some electrical problems and we needed to run it on reduced powerduring the Sussex match, but those have been fixed.
“We trialled it at the Graham Williamson Trophy final on Sunday, and it is all working now and back to its usual brightness.”
WORCESTERSHIRE CRICKET STEERING GROUP CHAIRMAN PAUL PRIDGEON
Cricket Update
Paul Pridgeon said: “The Sussex game was a terrific performance by our boys and a really good win, and they stuck at it really, really well.
“When you make someone follow on, it means you have to bowl a hell of a lot of overs, and there is a lot of pressure on the bowlers. But they stood up to it and the workloads really well.
“I would also like to say that was probably the best cricket wicket we’ve had at New Road in the time I’ve been on the board. It was a fantastic surface, it gave the bowlers a little bit, it gave the batters a bit if they got in on it. It was what first class cricket surfaces are all about.
“For me, I thought it was a complete reversal at Trent Bridge because I didn’t think it was a great surface. They gambled a bit on winning the toss, and it paid off, but our boys showed fantastic quality.
“Having lost four early wickets in the second innings, it was a fantastic fightback by the middle and lower order and showed a lot of character and skill on a difficult surface against two of the best bowlers in the country in Stuart Broad and Luke Fletcher. The boys came out with a lot of credit. We missed Joe Leach through illness, a big miss for us, and with Dillon Pennington having a hamstring pull, we were a seamer down in the second innings.
“I’m really pleased with the way we played, the character we showed, and it was a top, top effort by our boys.
“I was also here for the Graham Williamson Trophy final and it was incredibly encouraging to see our some of our young batters and bowlers did. The youngsters put up a quality and spirited performance against a really good and experienced Birmingham League side.
“For me the encouragement is there, it continues.”
