Thursday, March 4th, 2021

COUNTY ANNOUNCE WARM-UP PROGRAMME FOR NEW CAMPAIGN

Worcestershire CCC will complete their build-up to the 2021 campaign with eight days of cricket, including three at Kidderminster.

Club Captain Joe Leach and the squad will take on Durham UCCE, Somerset and Kent ahead of the opening County Championship match with Champions Essex.

The three-day meeting with Durham UCCE will get underway at Chester Road, Kidderminster, on Wednesday, 24 March.

Worcestershire are continuing their pre-season preparations at the same venue from Monday (8 March) after a winter programme of work at Malvern College.

The County will switch to Taunton for another three-day encounter with Somerset beginning on Monday 29 March.

It will be a repeat of the thrilling meeting at New Road between the two counties in September in the Central Group finale of the Bob Willis Trophy.

Worcestershire conclude their warm-up programme with two days of action against Kent at Canterbury from 2 April.

The County’s Head Coach, Alex Gidman, said: “In normal times, we have gone abroad in the build-up to the season, but hopefully, the programme we have put in place will prove productive.

“It is crucial that bowlers get overs in their legs and can get into a rhythm and batsmen spend time in the middle.

“Given the quality of the opposition, it should prove a worthwhile exercise before the action that counts gets underway, and, like everyone, we will be keeping our fingers crossed for some good weather.

“I would also like to say a big thank you to Malvern College for enabling us to undertake a worthwhile winter programme albeit with the lads working in various ‘bubbles.’