Gareth Roderick flies back to his native South Africa later this week to spend a second successive winter captaining Green Point CC in the Western Province Cricket Association Premier Division.
The Worcestershire keeper-batter will spend the next five months in Cape Town playing at weekends and training throughout the week.
Durban born Roderick says it is an ideal way to keep him ticking over with his skills before he returns to New Road to prepare for the 2024 season, his fourth with the Club.
He enjoyed a successful first spell with Green Point, taking over the captaincy mid-way through the campaign for the weekend 50 over competition.
Roderick said: “The first winter away in Cape Town was very enjoyable and I got to play for a really nice club out there.
“We are going to go back, take the whole family out for their whole summer, and play out there. It was good for my cricket to keep playing.
“I felt like it helped me, that I really wasn’t away, have much of an off season, which kept things ticking over before the season started again with Worcestershire.
“It is different for everyone but for me certainly, I find it helps. It is not incredibly taxing, it is only one game a week, one 50 over game every Saturday.
“It is not like you are demanding a huge amount of your body while you are out there, but you are doing enough, with the training you are doing during the week.
“It keeps you engaged, keeps you honest and doing the right thing.”
Roderick and all the Worcestershire players have to adhere to a fitness programme throughout the winter months.
He said: “I think that’s the biggest part for me to keep on top of, and to improve that physical aspect of looking after myself a little bit better, especially in the winter when I’m away.
“I know the S&C boys will keep checking on me, and keep making sure I’m doing the right stuff, and they will send me away with a programme where I have to be in the gym three or four times a week.”
Roderick will continue to combine captaincy with keeping wicket for Green Point.
He said: “I kept wicket last year, which was more out of necessity for the club, but I found I enjoyed captaincy from that perspective, and seeing the field when captaining from being the stumps.
“Again, I also didn’t feel I was rusty when reporting back to Worcestershire because I had been keeping all winter. As long as you keep the fingers healthy, then I’m looking forward to keeping all winter.
“I took over as captain halfway through last season which was good fun, another challenge and keeps you thinking and brain working.
“It is another good little exercise while I’m away in the winter.”
Roderick says Worcestershire being promoted to Division One of the LV=Insurance County Championship is just reward for the cricket they have played during 2023.
He finished as second top scorer behind his opening partner, Jake Libby.
He said: “As a team, we’ve played some really good cricket throughout the year in all competitions.
“Those two home games in September, against Glamorgan and Durham, we put a nail in the coffin to basically secure that second spot and go up.
“It’s a just reward because we’ve put in some really good work across all three formats this year.
“Whoever was out on the park performing, we still managed to put in those kind of performances that warranted us being in the position we finished.”
