Josh Dell will make his first red-ball appearance for two seasons for Worcestershire CCC in the LV=Insurance County Championship encounter with Middlesex at Lord’s in a game beginning on Sunday (10.30am start).
Dell will replace Tom Fell in the number three role after being declared fit following a fractured thumb suffered in the Royal London Cup (RLC) warm-up game against Herefordshire at New Road.
The Tenbury-Wells born player has enjoyed a successful time in the Second Eleven and played five games in the RLC despite his injury, batting in the middle to lower order.
Dell scored 61 against Durham on his Championship debut at New Road in May 2019 and made seven first class appearances that summer.
Worcestershire Head Coach, Alex Gidman, said: “Josh has been working extremely hard in the Second Eleven throughout the whole season.
“He’s been unfortunate with the injury at this particular time. But he is fit to play now, and we feel he deserves an opportunity to play in these last couple of matches.
“It’s about learning as quickly as possible for these younger players. Josh has had a taste of it and looked comfortable.
“But equally, as we’ve been trying to get competition for places, it has meant he hasn’t had many opportunities since that.
“Now is the time for him to have another opportunity. He deserves his place. Tom (Fell) has had a challenging few weeks, and we believe Josh deserves the opportunity.”
Dell for Fell is the only change in the 13 strong squad to the players who travelled to take on Kent at Canterbury.
With the season entering its finale, Gidman believes a game at the Home Of Cricket for the Worcestershire players is ideally timed.
He said: “We all know it is an amazing cricket ground, a beautiful place to watch and play cricket. We are really excited as a group to go there. It comes at a good time of the year.
“It is a challenging time for anytime that isn’t in Division One, but if we did need any excitement and motivation, which I don’t think many of the guys do, this fixture comes at a great time.
“I’m sure all the players are looking forward to the challenge of playing Middlesex but the excitement of playing at Lord’s.”
WORCESTERSHIRE CCC (FROM):
Daryl Mitchell
Jake Libby
Josh Dell
Jack Haynes
Brett D’Oliveira
Ed Barnard
Ben Cox (w)
Joe Leach ©
Charlie Morris
Josh Baker
Dillon Pennington
Adam Finch
Gareth Roderick
