WORCESTERSHIRE will play their two home pre-season friendly matches at Kidderminster’s Chester Road ground.

The County will take on Gloucestershire in a one-day fixture on Monday, March 24, and then face Glamorgan in another one-day encounter on Monday, March 31, and admission to both matches is free.

The games have been moved from New Road to enable groundstaff to continue with their preparations at headquarters for the new campaign.

Skipper Daryl Mitchell’s side will first be in action after returning from their pre-season trip to Abu Dhabi when they face Somerset in a three-day friendly at Taunton, starting next Wednesday.

They will also face Gloucestershire in a three day warm-up game at Bristol starting on Wednesday, March 26.

Meanwhile, Worcestershire suffered back-to-back T20 defeats to New Zealand and Derbyshire in Abu Dhabi. The County were shot out for just 52, before the Black Caps took less than seven overs to wrap up an eight-wicket win.

Against Derby, Tom Kohler-Cadmore hit 38 and skipper Daryl Mitchell made 37, but Scott Elstone (4-15) and Tom Knight (3-26) led Derby to a six-wicket win.

Moeen Ali will be hoping to feature for England in tomorrow’s final match of the three-game T20 series with West Indies after making just five in Tuesday’s five-wicket defeat that sealed the contest 2-0 for the hosts.