Worcestershire Head Coach Alan Richardson says the opportunity is there to seize the initiative in the closely fought battle for promotion from Division Two of the LV=Insurance County Championship.
Durham are the clear leaders but Worcestershire are one of several sides in the thick of the scrap for the second promotion spot ahead of back to back away games.
They take on Leicestershire at Oakham School (starting Wednesday) and Gloucestershire at Cheltenham College (beginning Wednesday July 26) before a break from Championship action until September.
Only 16 points separate the sides occupying second to fifth spot in the table with Worcestershire part of that quartet.
Richardson said: “Durham have been the stand-out side in the competition so far and have played incredibly well and are deservedly top, and top by a distance.
“There are a bunch of us, and it just takes a couple of results to get a bit of momentum and if, you can achieve those, you will be ahead of the pack.
“It’s just waiting for someone to take that initiative really.
“We’ve got a great opportunity in the next two games to give ourselves a chance to do that against two very good sides.
“We will see how we go and it’s very much in everyone’s hands still. There three or four sides who could do that, closely matched together.
“It will be interesting to see how it unfolds just before the One-Day Cup.”
Batter Adam Hose echoed Richardson’s sentiments and said: This is a really important time for the season.
“We were really disappointed last week that we didn’t feel there as a side anywhere near we needed or want to be.
“We should have high expectations of ourselves and our skills so to not be able to put on a good show last week was slightly disappointing.
“But we still came away with a draw and we’ve just got to look forward to these next two games.
“Whoever grabs the bull by the horns, and recognises that the quickest, will find themselves in a positive position come the start of September.”
Richardson confirmed Worcestershire Club Captain Brett D’Oliveira is back available following the birth of his second child.
A 14 strong squad has been announced – the 11 players in action against Yorkshire plus D’Oliveira, Dillon Pennington and Kashif Ali.
Worcestershire
Jake Libby
Gareth Roderick (W)
Azhar Ali
Jack Haynes
Adam Hose
Brett D’Oliveira (C)
Ed Pollock
Kashif Ali
Matthew Waite
Joe Leach
Josh Baker
Adam Finch
Dillon Pennington
Ben Gibbon
