Mitchell McClenaghan believes he will reap the benefits of his acclimitisation period with Worcestershire as he prepares to make his debut for the Rapids in tonight's NatWest T20 Blast clash with holders Northamptonshire Steelbacks at Northampton.
The New Zealand paceman has spent the last 11 days being put through his paces in the New Road nets ahead of his spell as the county's overseas player in place of Saeed Ajmal.
It may appear a challenging task for any player to fill the shoes of spin star Ajmal after his exploits during the past three months.
But McClenaghan is focused on his own game and giving everything to help Worcestershire reach the quarter-finals before making his LV = County Championship debut against Gloucestershire at Cheltenham on Monday.
He said: "Mate, if you start thinking like that (replacing Ajmal), you start putting too much pressure on yourself.
"The only thing I know is when I play my cricket I play balls to the wall. I don't take a backward step. I just know I'll go out there and give 110% every single game.
"I'm sure if I do that every single game, I'll get some results for the lads.
"It's nice to come when the team are doing well . It's exciting, they are a very young squad of players and to be in the position we are in all formats is pretty exciting.
"I've seen the boys have been playing exceptional cricket and I 100% back us to get to finals day and if we were to fall short, it won't be through lack of trying."
McClenaghan joined up at New Road on July 7 and he admitted: "The acclimitisation period is somethng personally I needed coming out of our winter.
"It's been a good chance to make sure when I do hit the field I'm as fit and as ready as I possibly can be to perform for the team.
"That's important. I don't think I would have been doing the team justice if I had got off the plane and started playing straight away."
McClenaghan had a successful spell at Lancashire last summer and is looking forward to replicating that form.
He said: "I enjoyed my time at Lancashire. It's just being able to come into an enviroment when there is a bit more pressure and I seem to thrive on being in pressure situations where people rely on you to perform.
"Lancashire were a good side and I enjoyed my time under Peter Moores and I'm really looking forward to my time under another manager and another team and good group of lads."
