Alex Gidman says Worcestershire will take “huge confidence” from their innings victory over Leicestershire in the Specsavers County Championship as they make the switch to List A cricket for the next month.
The Rapids launch their Royal London One-Day Cup campaign tomorrow when they take on Lancashire Lightning at Emirates Old Trafford.
Worcestershire will be bidding for a hat-trick after topping the North Group in impressive style for the past two seasons to secure money-spinning home semi-finals against Surrey and Kent respectively.
They have combined red and white ball cricket in their pre-season programme to try and ensure they will be in the best possible shape for both formats.
First Team Coach Gidman said: “Although (facing) Lancashire is a different format (to the Championship) naturally the lads will be pretty excited and pretty confident and just looking forward to getting that competition underway.
“It’s been a strange pre-season in the sense of having to plan for one game of red ball cricket and then a competition that is going to start and finish within a month (in the One-Day Cup).
“It’s going to take a bit of adjusting but the lads will be fine.
“They’ve done it now for years but we will get a huge amount of confidence from the win at Leicester so looking forward to it.”
Brett D’Oliveira will lead the Rapids for the first time since he was officially appointed white ball vice-captain.
The all-rounder will take charge while club captain Joe Leach continues the final stages of his rehab programme after his back injury.
D’Oliveira led the County in all formats at various stages last summer after Leach’s setback first occurred.
Three Worcestershire players in Riki Wessels, Hamish Rutherford and Wayne Parnell will all make their first appearances in the One-Day Cup for the County.
Paceman Pat Brown and all-rounder George Rhodes are added to the players in action against the Foxes.
WORCESTERSHIRE RAPIDS (from):
Riki Wessels
Hamish Rutherford
Tom Fell
Daryl Mitchell
Brett D’Oliveira (captain)
Ben Cox (wicket-keeper)
Ross Whiteley
Ed Baranrd
Wayne Parnell
Josh Tongue
Charlie Morris
George Rhodes
Pat Brown
