Worcestershire skipper Daryl Mitchell is relishing the opportunity to play alongside the likes of England Test captain Alastair Cook and Nick Compton for the MCC – and also briefly returning to the rank and file in the middle order.
County opener Mitchell has been named in the MCC squad, skippered by former New Road loan player Compton, for the season-opening Champion County match against Yorkshire in Abu Dhabi starting on March 22 and which will be played under floodlights with a pink ball.
The 31-year-old has been named after an outstanding 2014 camapign in which he was the second highest scorer in Division Two of the LV = County Championship with 1,334 runs behind Hampshire's James Vince.
Mitchell hit five centuries and was also the county's leading run-scorer in the NatWest T20 Blast.
It will give him an opportunity to face the Yorkshire attack before the opening LV = County Championship Division One fixture of the season at New Road beginning on April 12.
Mitchell said: "I'm really pleased. I feel as though, along with promotion and being named captain of the PCA team of the year, it's another reward for an fantastic 2014 both as an individual and for the team.
"It is a real honour to be picked in an extremely strong looking MCC side.
"I'm looking forward to linking up with and picking the brains of internationals Alistair Cook, Nick Compton, Miichael Carberry, Graham Onions as well as the other lads.
"It will be a nice change to be back in the ranks as just a player and bat in the middle order – when hopefully the shine has gone off the ball!"
Worcestershire face Yorkshire in the opening LV = County Championship match of the season at New Road starting on April 12.
Mitchell said: "It's great preparation, along with the WCCC tour to Abu Dhabi, to get a competitive first class game in before what promises to be a challenging but exciting 2015 Championship campaign."
