Worcestershire will turn their focus to their pre-season programme in this country after completing a successful 10-day trip to Abu Dhabi.
Director of Cricket Steve Rhodes and the players are flying back to England today after undertaking a mixture of warm weather training and match action.
The county ended the trip in style with a 77 run success over Middlesex in a 50 over contest yesterday at the Zayerd nursery ground.
Worcestershire also defeated a UAE X1 in a T20 match and enjoyed plenty of worthwhile practice during 50 over and two day setbacks against Derbyshire.
The squad will be back in at New Road next week continuing their preparation work for the new campaign.
They they will undertake 10 days of cricket ahead of the opening LV = County Championship match with Yorkshire at New Road from April 12-15.
New Road will host the opening warm-up fixtures against Gloucestershire, a 50 over game on March 25 and a two day match on March 25, 26 and 27.
It will be a first reunion for Worcestershire’s new signing Alex Gidman with his former county whom he served with distinction for more than a decade.
The county’s other three pre-season games are all away fixtures.
Worcestershire will take on local rivals Warwickshire at Edgbaston in a two-day game on March 30 and 31.
Then, on April 2, 3 and 4, paceman Charlie Morris's former university, Oxford MCCU, will provide the opposition at The Parks.
The final pre-season encounter will be a two-day fixture with Northamptonshire at Northampton on April 7-8.
