Weekend decision on Worcester venue switch

By Paul Bolton

Worcestershire will decide over the weekend whether to switch next week’s County Championship match against Surrey to Kidderminster from New Road.

Half of the New Road outfield is covered in flood water from the rivers Teme and Severn, which broke their banks on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.

But levels in both rivers have dropped noticeably in the last 24 hours and Worcestershire believe that the worst of the flooding is over.

The pitch prepared for the Surrey match is on the cathedral side of the New Road square and is dry and playable, as is the half of the outfield that is not flooded.

“We will take a final decision over the weekend on where the Surrey match will be played,” said Worcestershire chief executive David Leatherdale.

“If the levels in the Severn continue to drop then we are hopeful that the floodwater on the outfield will drain away.”

The Surrey match will mark the return to county action of Kevin Pietersen who will make a rare appearance for Surrey between his IPL commitments and rejoining England for their Test series against the West Indies.

Pietersen has played county cricket at Kidderminster before, for Nottinghamshire ten years ago, when he made 13 and nought.

Worcestershire have already moved next Monday’s CB40 match against The Netherlands to Kidderminster from New Road.

Date: 03/05/2012 16:22:07 by MBaldwin
In: Worcestershire | Today | Surrey |