Overseas boost for County (From Bromsgrove Advertiser)

Overseas boost for County

3:00pm Wednesday 7th March 2012 in WCCC By Tom Guest, @tomguestWN #WENsport

WORCESTERSHIRE director of cricket Steve Rhodes believes his young squad members will be better off for their experiences abroad this winter.

A whole host of the New Road club’s players have jetted off to various corners of the world to hone their skills during the English off season.

Rhodes is confident time away from the County, developing their game in different conditions, will provide long-term benefits.

He said: “Matt Pardoe has spent the whole winter out in Adelaide as part of the very good Darren Lehmann Academy. They train them hard and certainly put them through the mill — it’s not a holiday – and I’m sure he’ll come home better for the experience.

“Neil Pinner has also been playing in Adelaide, while Chris Russell was in Cape Town and Daryl Mitchell and Richard Jones have both had short, successful stints in first-class cricket in Zimbabwe.

“Moeen Ali spent time in Sri Lanka, where he scored a lot of runs in first-class cricket, and he is back now with the England development squad.

“Alexei Kervezee has been playing a lot of Twenty20 cricket, firstly with Holland in their series in the West Indies, before joining Dhaka Gladiators in the Bangladesh Premier League.”