Match Details VS Nottinghamshire
Rothesay County Championship Division One: Worcestershire v Nottinghamshire
Venue: Visit Worcestershire New Road
Date: Monday 8th September
Scheduled start time: 10:30am
Fresh off reaching the club’s first List A final in over two decades, Worcestershire return to four-day action as the fight for Division One survival resumes against high-flying Nottinghamshire this week.
After a break of over a month from red ball cricket, the Pears will be looking to hit the ground running in their penultimate home game of the season.
Last Time Out
Worcestershire produced a bold and spirited run chase on the final day at Visit Worcestershire New Road, before the Rothesay County Championship Division One fixture against Hampshire ended in a gripping draw.
Chasing a daunting target of 358 in just 53 overs after Hampshire’s enterprising post-lunch declaration on 313/7, the home side carried hope of completing one of the Championship’s most dramatic final-day turnarounds.
In a match that ebbed and flowed throughout, it was Jake Libby’s second magnificent century of the game, a perfectly judged 106 off 122 balls, that fuelled Worcestershire’s pursuit.
With solid support from Kashif Ali (65 from 79) and a string of aggressive cameos down the order, the chase was very much alive deep into the final hour. But with wickets falling, the hosts closed on 303/8, 55 runs shy of their targets.
Inside The Camp
Worcestershire captain Brett D’Oliveira says his side are “in ready get stuck in” as the Pears brace themselves for a return to County Championship action after a superb month of white ball cricket across August.
D’Oliveira, a key figure in Worcestershire’s recent success, was able to enjoy the month without the wider responsibilities of captaincy as Jake Libby took the reigns for the One Day Cup campaign.
The move worked wonders for the man 14-years into his distinguished career at New Road, as the white-ball opener enjoyed a stellar competition, averaging 49.77 across the tournament, including a fifty and two-hundreds.
Although attentions have now turned back to the longer format of the game, D’Oliveira is hoping to translate his eye-catching form into the crucial tussle with the Outlaws.
“It was a really enjoyable month from a team perspective most importantly, but also from a form point of view, it was nice to cash in on some good starts.
“The beauty of being at the top is when things go your way and you make it through that challenging opening spell, there are often runs to be had out there with good pitches and fast outfields at this time of year.
“Ultimately, I found myself in a nice groove, a good rhythm, which I think any batter will tell you is the most important part of a good spell of form, so my job now is to kick-on and continue that in the longer format for the next few weeks.
“I am really looking forward to getting back to the different challenges that four-day cricket presents at this time of year, but the change of format won’t have too much of an effect on my approach to things for the side.”
In Nottinghamshire, the Pears welcome a side flying high in Division One, with a potent bowling attack including prolific County Championship operators such as Muhammed Abbas, Brett Hutton and of course, former Worcestershire seamer, Dillon Pennington.
Despite both outfits finding themselves in contrasting positions within Division One, the points on offer will have huge ramifications for whoever comes out on top at the completion of the four day contest next week.
For Worcestershire skipper D’Oliveira however, the focus for his side will remain in the short-term and taking the game session by session, as they look to launch a late survival bid across their three matches in September, starting on Monday.
“We are ready to get stuck in.
“Their position or form doesn’t and won’t effect our preparations or our perspective going into Monday. Our focus is once we step out onto the pitch, staying as engaged and focussed as we can across the duration of the game to ensure the result goes our way.
“Every ball can be an event here, whether that is in the middle when you are batting or in the field with the ball and for large parts this season we have been in the game and present, but we can’t afford to drop off at key moments with those batting lapses.
“The group is refreshed and ready to go, so come Monday we will be in a position to crack on and work hard to force a positive result.”
The Opposition
Previous Championship result: Draw v Somerset
Table position: 2nd
One to watch: Haseeb Hameed
Chasing a first County Championship title in 15 years, Nottinghamshire have been going toe-to-toe with Surrey throughout the 2025 summer at the summit of Division One table, with the title set to go down to the wire in September.
The Outlaws arrive at Visit Worcestershire New Road having lost one just once in this year’s competition, eager to return to four day action after a disappointing mid-table finish in the recent Metro Bank One Day Cup.
The two sides don’t have to look too far back for their most recent clash, when a thrilling lower-order rearguard saw the Outlaws secure an incredible last over tie against the Rapids in the second group match.
Central to the Nottinghamshire success in Division One, has been captain, Haseeb Hameed’s quite exceptional run of form at the top of the order.
The former England opener has scored 1,108 runs across the season to date, averaging 79.14 with a high score of 208.
His consistency and resilience will prove crucial if the Outlaws are to enjoy some late season success against a Pears bowling attack that possess the league’s leading wicket taker, in the shape of seamer Tom Taylor.
Squad vs Nottinghamshire
