Strong squad eyeing promotion
Paul Bolton provides a preview of Worcestershire for the 2006 season
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Revolving door
Change of overseas players, with
the Australian left-hander Phil
Jaques and India's left-arm seamer
Zaheer Khan replacing Zander
de Bruyn and the injury-prone
Shoaib Akhtar. Roger Sillence,
a bit-part player in five seasons
with Gloucestershire, may have
the chance to be a leading man
at New Road. Stephen Peters
and David Wigley have joined
Northamptonshire.
Winter wonderland
The county hope that New Road
might take the Mayfair slot
on a Worcestershire version of
Monopoly being produced by the
makers of the famous board game.
It is more likely to be the
Old Kent Road unless they can
soon find the cash to replace the
ground's famous pavilion, built
in 1899, which is decaying after
more than a century of regular
winter floods.
Strengths
Well-balanced squad with strong,
experienced batting, a battery of
seamers, wicket-taking spinners
and a talented young keeper.
Weaknesses
The depth of a small squad will
be tested if Jaques is needed by
Australia A and Gareth Batty,
Vikram Solanki and Kabir Ali stay
in England's one-day squad.
Best-case scenario
Potential for promotion in both
competitions to make up for the
disappointment of a stuttering
Championship campaign and
moderate one-day form last season.
Worst-case scenario
Another season of second-tier
cricket in both competitions,
especially if Graeme Hick, who
failed to make 1,000 Championship
runs last year, disappoints again in
the final year of his contract.
Young one to watch
Steven Davies, a gifted
wicketkeeper and stylish
middle-order batsman. In the
mould of Steve Rhodes, now
Worcestershire's director of
cricket, who believes Davies has
the potential to score 1,000 runs
in his first full season.
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Key man
Stephen Moore. Made 1,000 firstclass
runs in each of his first
two full seasons. Keen to improve
and spent part of the winter in
India improving his technique
against spin.
What they say
"The dressing room environment
is very important to me," says
Rhodes, the county's director
of cricket. "We want to get that
right and I want players who are
totally committed to each other
as opposed to their individual
game. If we can create the right
environment, then I would expect
to see progress and improvement."
Mark Wagh A strong team, with very good players across the board. A strong middle order will surely provide enough runs and the seamers Matt Mason and Kabir Ali will have excellent support from experienced spinners. The question mark is the depth of the squad.
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