It is not to be this year but everyone will learn from it: Sharp seeks positives after relegation

Worcestershire head coach Kevin Sharp says his players will learn from the experiences and be determined to return stronger than ever with a view to gaining promotion in 12 months' time

^{Worcestershire have been relegated from Division One}

Kevin Sharp says Worcestershire’s ultimate aim of becoming an established Division One club in the Specsavers County Championship is undiminished despite their relegation from the top flight after one season.

The county wind up their 2018 programme this week when they take on Yorkshire at Blackfinch New Road.

It has been a memorable season in many ways with the club’s Vitality Blast triumph and topping the North Group in the Royal London One-Day Cup, and they also held their own on many occasions in the Championship without seizing the “key moments” in several games.

But head coach Sharp says the players will learn from the experiences and be determined to return stronger than ever with a view to gaining promotion in 12 months' time.

"Although we are bottom of the Championship, we have competed very well," he said. "There have been a few times where we just haven’t been able to get over the line and sometimes seize the key moments in games.

The county won the T20 Blast

"In our previous home game against Surrey, we’ve gone toe to toe with the county champions so that shows what we can do. It is not to be this year but everyone will learn from it. There is still a lot to learn as we go on, lots of experiences to have.

"It will be some more knowledge in the bank for everyone and they will come back scrapping with a view to getting promoted again and staying in that top division.

"That’s what the club wants to do and that’s what the players want to do. Although we have gone down, the lads will be playing for pride and will want to put on a good performance in the final home game.

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"We were very impressive in winning at Scarborough and ending with a win will be an ideal send-off to the season."

Ed Barnard is closing in on reaching 50 wickets in a season in the Championship for the first time. The England Lions player will require three more scalps against Yorkshire.

He has already equalled in Division One the 47 wickets he collected in Division Two last season, achieving career-best figures of 6-37 against Somerset at Taunton and recording four five-wicket hauls during this campaign.

Joe Clarke will make his final appearance for the county before moving to Nottinghamshire on a four-year contract.

Report courtesy of the ECB Reporters Network