Season Review: Worcestershire CCC: 'Classic Worcestershire'

A rare moment of joy for the Worcestershire faithful as the Pears endured a disappointing campaign.

Joe Leach (pictured) was one a star men of Worcestershire's campaign.

County Championship review:
With only one going up it was always going to be imperative to get off to a good start, one abandonment and four draws in the first five games meant we were always going to be playing catch up.
 
We ended up winning six, but crucially losing four, including a crushing defeat to champions Essex that sealed our fate.
 
As in the last few seasons, we could not quite score enough runs, Joe Clarke stood out but lacked any real support. Captain Daryl Mitchell had a very average season and has now paid the price.
 
One Day Cup review:
A real hit and miss competition where we would lose one, then win one. We could never go on a run so were never in serious contention of making the Semi-finals.
 
T20 review:
This was the real disappointment of the season, having never ever made a finals day it’s the one competition most fans wanted a bit of success in now. We started like a train winning four of the first five fixtures meaning just steady results would have seen us through to a Q/F. We then proceeded to lose 5 of the next 7 (the other 2 rained off) curtailing all hopes of progression in the competition.
 
Moment of the season:
Hammering Warwickshire (sorry Birmingham) on the TV with a masterful performance from young Brett D’Oliveira.
 
MVP:
Joe Leach - The bowler narrowly missed out on ending as top wicket-taker in the County Championship finishing behind the evergreen Graham Napier at Essex, but he enjoyed a stellar season in the main and continues to improve as a cricketer.
 

​Low point of the Season:
Those run of T20 cup losses.
 
Ones to watch for next season?:
Brett D’Oliveria & Joe Leach. They just keep improving year on year.
 
Where do you need to strengthen for next season?
Top of the order, as previously mentioned runs have continued to be a real problem and if we have any chance of finishing in and around those promotion places next season we need a batsman or two that can push around the 1,000 run mark year on year. 
 
Hopes for next season?:
It is always going to be tough getting promoted so I just hope we maintain our annual promotion fight. To make a finals day before it disappears has to be a real aim to for the Pears.
 
Describe your season in a sentence:
Forgettable, with some unforgettable moments. Classic Worcester #COYP

Review by Neil Harris (@njhcricket)

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