Worcestershire Head Coach Alan Richardson says getting the balance of the side right will be crucial during an opening block of seven Vitality County Championship matches in eight weeks.
Richardson knows conditions will vary considerably from the opening two games with Kookaburra balls away to Warwickshire and Nottinghamshire compared to back to back games at Kidderminster using a Dukes ball versus Durham and Somerset.
But he has been delighted with the practice sessions the squad have been able to put in at Chester Road during the early part of this week after reuniting fully following the various winter destinations of some of the players.
Richardson said: “We have seven Championship games in eight weeks and we have to try and be quite sensible about how we manage our way through that.
“Getting the balance of the side right is really important going into each game.
“It will be very different going from Edgbaston to Trent Bridge with Kookaburra balls to going to Kidderminster with a Duke ball.
“We have to give ourselves the best chance in each game and take into account what we think we will need in terms of an attack to try and take 20 wickets with a Kookaburra ball at the start of April.”
Worcestershire launch their pre-season programme at Kidderminster (Thursday March 21) with a three-day game against Durham UCCE (11am start).
Richardson said: “Just getting back out on grass in England is important. It is quite unique conditions and, no matter how many years you’ve played, it is about getting used to that again.
“We’ve got loads of practice in this week. We did quite a bit of fielding and fitness work on Monday and then the equivalent of nearly 300 overs batting and bowling at Kidderminster on Tuesday in the nets.
“The facilities were great and the practice wickets were excellent.
“There is always that buzz at the start of the season. Desert Springs just took us up a level from Malvern and this week the boys were desperate to get out there and practice.
“There has been good energy and intensity from the boys over these last two days.”
Worcestershire have announced a 13 strong squad for the Durham UCCE fixture with Jake Libby skippering the side.
Newcomers Rob Jones, Tom Taylor, Ethan Brookes and Yadvinder Singh are all included.
Matthew Waite and Adam Finch are also named after missing the tail-end of last season through injury.
WORCESTERSHIRE SQUAD:
Jake Libby (c)
Gareth Roderick (w)
Kashif Ali
Rob Jones
Ed Pollock
Tom Taylor
Ethan Brookes
Matthew Waite
Henry Cullen (w)
Josh Baker
Adam Finch
Ben Gibbon
Yadvinder Singh
