Worcestershire batsman Tom Kohler-Cadmore admits he will miss being able to pick the brains of Alex Gidman whose finger injury has forced him to retire.
Kohler-Cadmore was the beneficiary of Gidman's setback suffered during fielding practice at Durham as he regained his place in the middle order for the final two games of last season.
He grabbed his chance with both hands in scoring 89 at the Emirates ICG and 130 not out – his maiden Championship century – versus Middlesex at New Road before continuing in the same vein in Australia for Penrith Panthers as their leading run-scorer.
But the former Malvern College pupil says he owes a lot to the 34-year-old Gidman who moved to New Road at the end of the 2014 season.
Kohler-Cadmore said: "Without that injury to Alex, I would have gone off to play in Australia this winter straight from the Seconds, a little bit frustrated.
"It's sport isn't it. But I'm really disappointed Alex has been forced to retire because he was a massive help for me over the last 12 months.
"He was a big help when I was learning my game and just talking to him about batting stuff and all-round cricket. He was awesome for that.
"I'm just disappointed I'm going to miss out on learning from him this year and a lot more years to come in the dressing room but I'm still in good contact with him.
"He is not going to be available in the changing room when you have got out. He is really unlucky. It is a broken finger and for it to be that bad was so unlucky."
