WORCESTERSHIRE director of cricket Steve Rhodes is relishing the chance of having an indoor training base at long last.

The New Road side have joined forces with Malvern College to use their £14million state-of-the-art new sports centre.

The County, from autumn 2009, will base their winter training at the college and, with the majority of the players now on 12-month contracts, pre-season training begins four months earlier than before.

But, due to New Road susceptibility to flooding, it can make life extremely difficult.

“I think that it is wonderful to now have a place like this,” Rhodes said. “It can be a real struggle not having a base during the winter especially when the lads are working so hard.

“We have been desperate for a facility like this because in the past we have been off to places like Edgbaston, Lough-borough and Shrewsbury Sch-ool.

“They are all fine places, but they area a long way away, so to have something on our door-step is wonderful.”

The link-up with the college will allow not just the firsts at New Road to train there, but the second XI and the academy team too.

The new sports complex at Malvern College, as well as an indoor cricket school, will inc-lude a 25-metre swimming pool, an eight-court sports hall, a rifle range, climbing wall, squash courts and classrooms.

Head of Malvern College, Antony Clark, said: “We will be delighted to welcome Wor-cestershire County Cricket Club to Malvern College next September.

“It’s a clear recognition that in undertaking the new development we are moving to a professional level, giving our pupils and local schools access to some of the best sports facilities in the UK.”

County chief executive Mark Newton added: “When this opportunity came up, we jum-ped at the chance.

“Due to the flooding at New Road, it is not possible to develop an indoor facility so the chance to work in partnership with the college is ideal.

“I just wonder what Steve Rhodes will do if any of the players have a bad training session with there being a rifle-range there!”

With the Worcestershire players having been back in training for a month now, Rhodes has been impressed with the attitude that the squad have been showing.

Players have been in the gym three times a week, with strength and conditioning co-ach Dave Lowe putting on special sessions twice a week. Several of the current squad are yet to sign all-year-round deals but Rhodes is delighted with how things have begun.

“It make you proud that the lads are putting in all this hard work at this stage of the year,” the director of cricket said.

“It shows their commitment in trying to be the best that they can be and that is the kind of message we want as coaches.”