[Ska'dForLife-WBA]

Sad news from Worcester this week as the county announced the retirement of 30-year-old Charlie Morris, a real fan favourite of the last ten years in the mould of Jack Shantry, who's called time on his career after suffering a knee injury last summer. Distinguishing himself (alongside Tom Fell) for Oxford MCCU when Worcs visited the Parks in 2012 and 2013, Charlie debuted for the Pears against Australia a decade ago, took 56 wickets in the promotion summer of 2014 and 50 more during 2015's relegation, and despite having to remodel his action in 2016, losing two years of cricket in the process, he returned to action in 2018 and over the next four summers pushed his career wicket tally up to 237. I wish Charlie all the best in the future, and will have many a fond memory of his time at New Road.

This week we host Sussex, having slept for a fortnight on the unfortunate showings against Durham and Gloucestershire. There's little hope of an easier ride against the boys from the south coast, as an in-form Cheteshwar Pujara is now joined by Steve Smith for the coming month, but with weather again threatening the weekend's cricket, it could prove to be a stop-start contest. Nevertheless, the Pears are boosted by the return of Dolly and Gareth Roderick for a crucial early fixture.


Probable Worcestershire XI: Libby, Pollock, Ali, Haynes, D'Oliveira, Hose, Roderick, Waite, Leach, Tongue, Gibbon