Head Coach Alex Gidman is excited about what the future holds for Worcestershire CCC as they continue to evolve as a squad through a period of transition.
Australian international batsman Matthew Wade, and big-hitter Ed Pollock, will be new faces for the 2022 season, while Daryl Mitchell (16 first team seasons) and Ross Whiteley (nine first team seasons) are retiring or moving onto a new challenge, respectively.
With the emergence of youngsters such as Josh Baker and Jack Haynes, there is a gradual alteration in the make-up of the squad.
Gidman said: “We are going to go through a period of transition, and I’m certainly excited about the future of the club.
“We’ve got a core group of younger players, who we can all see the ability of, alongside some experienced players.
“Those experienced players are going to be slightly different now with Joe (Leach) and Jake (Libby) and some overseas players, so it is going to have a different feel to it.
“But every team evolves, every group of players evolves as they go through time.
“Sadly, professional sport isn’t a career that lasts forever. It comes to an end for everyone, and that gives opportunities to other players to come in and stake their claims.
“We are going through a natural transition, but equally, we should all be very excited about what the future may look like.”
Gidman added: “For now, it is about trying to finish the season as well as we possibly can and enjoy the last couple of games that Daryl plays for us.
“We are extremely grateful for what he has done for the club. Ross (Whiteley) has been a great player for us, and Riki (Wessels) gave his all to the club during the last couple of years.
“These guys have given us a huge amount, but naturally, things do come to an end. We can enjoy the next couple of weeks and then start to plan for the future.”
