Worcestershire bowling arsenal finally gets the chance to unleash

BOB WILLIS TROPHY PREVIEW: Moeen Ali and Pat Brown might be missing with England, but there are still plenty of options for the Pears in the shortened season

Bob Willis Trophy team-by-team guides: Click here

Ins: Mitchell Stanley (academy), Jake Libby (Nottinghamshire)

Outs: George Rhodes (Leicestershire)

Fixture list: August 1 - Gloucestershire (a), August 8 - Glamorgan (h), August 15 - Northamptonshire (a), August 22 - Warwickshire (h), September 6 - Somerset (h)

Remind me what happened last year?

Worcestershire failed to recover from relegation in 2018 as they endured a poor Championship season. With three promotion places up for grabs, they were predicted to compete in Division Two. But they lost more matches than anyone else to finish second from bottom. And it all started so well for them as they won their opening two games.

What’s happened since?

Worcestershire have boosted their batting options by signing Jake Libby from Nottinghamshire. The 27-year-old has 55 first-class matches under his belt but will be desperate to improve his 28.60 batting average. They have also signed Gareth Roderick, but he will not be joining the club until 2021.

Unlike many counties, Worcestershire have managed to keep hold of an overseas player as Hamish Rutherford will be available. The bad news is he will not play in all formats as originally planned and will only appear in the T20 Blast.

Apart from that, there has not been much change at Worcestershire. Joe Leach will continue to captain the team and Daryl Mitchell, having signed a new contract, will still open the batting.

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Who’s arrived and who’s left?

Allrounder George Rhodes has completed a permanent move to Leicestershire but he is the only departure. And it is one and one out at Worcestershire as Libby is their only major signing. Young seamer Mitchell Stanley has signed his professional contract.

Who will be the key men in 2020?

Worcestershire will be hoping Charlie Morris can deliver again after he was rewarded with a new contact. The 27-year-old enjoyed his best campaign since 2015 last summer with 47 first-class wickets at an average of 22.02. They will also want Ed Barnard, their other paceman, to perform. Barnard has picked up more than 40 first-class wickets in each of the last three summers, averaging just 27.19 since his debut in 2015.

Their batsmen struggled in last year’s Championship campaign, with no one managing to break the 600-run barrier. Worcestershire’s strength is in the bowling, but if they want to win the Bob Willis Trophy Leach, Mitchell, Ben Cox and Riki Wessels will all need to improve. Hopes will be pinned on Mitchell in particular, the third-highest run scorer in the Championship during the 2010s.

The good news is Worcestershire will only lose Moeen Ali and Pat Brown to England – and they will not be missed. Brown has just seven first-class wickets to his name and while Ali is a quality player, he has only made 15 Championship appearances during the last five years because of his England commitments. They should have a pretty settled squad heading into the tournament.

What can we expect from this team this season?

Worcestershire underperformed with the bat last year and there is no guarantee they will find form during the tournament. But if they gain a bit of momentum, they could be very hard to stop thanks to their stability. Do not be surprised if they go the distance.

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