PEARS skipper Joe Leach is delighted with the acquisition of Riki Wessels to reinforce what is now an increasingly experienced Worcestershire line-up.
Wessels has linked up with his team-mates for pre-season training at Malvern College this week after signing a three year contract at Blackfinch New Road.
The former Nottinghamshire player has shown at the top of the order in white ball that he is a destructive batsman capable of destroying attacks.
He demonstrated this when hitting nine sixes in his 55 against Worcestershire in a Vitality Blast match last summer.
But Wessels will also bolster the middle order in red ball cricket from this summer.
With Daryl Mitchell and Callum Ferguson also in their 30s and another newcomer in Wayne Parnell plus the likes of Ben Cox and Ross Whiteley having many years cricket under their belts, it is a side with much know-how to call upon.
Leach said: “To bring in a player of Riki’s calibre shows where he thinks we are at which is a good sign.
“But it also shows the club’s ambition and our want to keep challenging for trophies and to get into the top end of Division One in the Championship.
“It is very easy to say it but the actions are showing that as well which is really nice to see.
“To have Riki at the top of the white ball order will help us again to be very strong in that format.
“Then in red ball cricket he gives us a bit of dynamism and a lot of experience. He is training with us now and has fitted in very well already.”
Leach added: “We’ve now got three 30-plus very experienced guys in that batting order with Mitch, Riki and Callum.
“Ross Whiteley is 30 now, I’m 28, Coxy, Brett, similar ages. “It’s not a young, inexperienced team anymore and hopefully winning the Vitality Blast Trophy was the first of many trophies for us.”