Worcestershire Head Coach, Alan Richardson, believes the group of players heading to play club and grade cricket abroad this winter will benefit significantly from the experience.
Richardson spent several winters in Australia during his lengthy playing career and said it played a big part in his growing up and developing as a person and aiding his cricket.
Gareth Roderick, Henry Cullen, Adam Finch, Ben Gibbon, Dillon Pennington and Taylor Cornall are among those who will spend part of the majority of the close season away from New Road.
Pennington, Worcestershire’s leading wicket-taker in first-class cricket this summer, is returning to Adelaide CC for a second successive winter.
A steady stream of Worcestershire players played abroad most winters before COVID-19 and its restrictions brought a temporary halt.
Richardson said: “It is great for their development, and it is something I gained hugely from as a player.
“There were no 12-month contracts when I started, so it was a case of finding your own way, your own path for five months, whether it was working, whether you had saved up enough money, or having the opportunity to get away.
“It helped my cricket massively in just growing up, suddenly starting to build relationships with completely different people, buying into a completely different culture, undoubtedly cricket-wise, club-wise and a lifestyle one as well.
“There are not many jobs in the world where your employers are happy for you to go away for five months and you still get paid, so they should grasp that opportunity.
“It is a really good way of improving your cricket. We train well in the winter, but the way to get better at scoring runs and taking wickets is by practicing that and playing that as much as possible.
“For those guys to go and play away for whatever period they decide to will be beneficial.”
The Worcestershire players participating in club and grade cricket this winter are:
Gareth Roderick – Green Point CC (South Africa)
Henry Cullen – Plenty Valley CC (Australia)
Adam Finch – Sturt CC (Australia)
Ben Gibbon – Willerton CC (Australia)
Dillon Pennington – Adelaide CC (Australia)
Taylor Cornall – Adelaide CC (Australia)
Olly Cox – Eastern Suburbs CC (Australia)
