Worcestershire Head Coach Alan Richardson says his side are “itching to get going” as they prepare to open their 2025 Rothesay County Championship campaign with a trip to Somerset.
Richardson has named a 14-player squad for the season opener, with Kiwi overseas Jacob Duffy unavailable until the second round of fixtures and Fateh Singh ruled out due to mild concussion. Brett D’Oliveira will once again lead the side, supported by a strong core of experienced campaigners and an emerging crop of younger talent.
New signing Ben Allison is in line for a first-class debut as a permanent Worcestershire player after impressing throughout the winter and pre-season.
“We’ve been lucky enough to have Ben with us a couple of times on loan,” said Richardson. “Now it’s a real opportunity for him to showcase his ability over a longer period. He’s equipped himself really well throughout the winter and has shown that he’s a highly skilled bowler. No doubt he’s chomping at the bit to play a full season of first-class cricket.”
With Duffy set to arrive in time for next week’s trip to Yorkshire, Richardson has had the rare luxury of selecting from a near fully-fit group for the season’s opening fixture.
“The boys have worked incredibly hard across the winter, and we’ve got a strong squad available,” he said. “We’ll be at Taunton tomorrow to assess the wicket and finalise things, but it’s a good problem to have. It’s never easy making tough calls, but that’s the nature of the Championship across 14 games.”
Somerset, who have been one of Division One’s most consistent sides in recent years, present an immediate challenge. But Richardson is focused more on the performance than the result as his side reacclimatise to the demands of red-ball cricket.
“We know Somerset are a strong side and they’ve been pushing for that title for a while now. For us, though, it’s about how we perform, how we conduct ourselves, the intensity we bring, and how we react to the competitive challenge. You can’t replicate Championship cricket in pre-season friendlies, so this is the real test.”
The squad features a blend of battle-hardened professionals, such as Libby, Roderick, and D’Oliveira, and several younger players including Ethan Brookes, Tom Hinley, and keeper-batter Henry Cullen, all of whom could play an important role across the season.
“We’ve got four or five guys over 30 who form the strong core of the team,” said Richardson. “They lead brilliantly, both on and off the field, and are excellent role models. Around them, we’ve got exciting young players at the start of their journey in professional cricket, and I think it’s a really healthy mix.”
While there’s no points target or win tally being laid out just yet, Richardson is clear about what success looks like over the opening block of games.
“Last year we didn’t manage a win in the first seven games, but we still put in some really strong performances,” he reflected. “If we can replicate that and get on the right side of a few key moments, then we’ll give ourselves a great platform. It’s all about how we operate as a team, stick together, and push for consistency.”
Worcestershire’s Rothesay County Championship campaign gets underway at the Cooper Associates County Ground this Friday.
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