Former England paceman Simon Jones MBE last night recalled with fondness his two season spell at New Road and said: "I loved every minute of my time at Worcestershire."
Jones was brought to Worcestershire by Director Of Cricket Steve Rhodes for the 2008 and 2009 campaigns.
In his first season Jones picked up 42 Championship wickets in nine appearances and formed a lethal new ball attack with Kabir Ali.
He also returned his best ever List A figures with 5-32 against Hampshire at New Road.
It proved to be Jones' most elongated spell of action at county level after his well documented injury problems.
Jones, speaking at current skipper Daryl Mitchell's 2016 benefit launch dinner in the Hick Pavilion, said: "I absolutely loved it at Worcester. Steve Rhodes gave me the opportunity to come here and I thank him for that.
"It was the chance I needed. I'd grown stale at Glamorgan and wasn't enjoying my cricket anymore and when I spoke to Bumpy and they offered me a contract, I was over the moon.
"My dad (former England bowler Jeff Jones) loves Worcester, obviously because of the D'Oliveira connection so when I got the opportunity to come here, I was never going to turn it down.
"I loved the history of the club and the players they had, Hicky, one of my best mates, Gareth Batty, was here, Vikram Solanki. I loved every minute. It was a very good two years.
"We had a very successful team the first year I came.
"Myself and Kabir Ali opened the bowling, Mase (current assistant coach-bowing coach Matt Mason) was there as well. It was just great times, I loved every minute."
