WORCESTERSHIRE'S players have given the thumbs up to the club's new £700,000 Basil D'Oli-veira Stand.

It will be officially opened by the County's star batman Graeme Hick at 11.30am on Tuesday, May 4, before the start of the newly-named totesport League Division Two clash against Nottinghamshire Outlaws.

New Road legend D'Oliveira and his family will be present at the opening ceremony of the 2,000-seater stand which has been built during the close season on the Diglis side of the ground.

County chief executive Mark Newton said: "It's interesting that the players who have gone and stood out in the middle have said it makes it much more of a cricket arena for them.

"Instead of having an open end it's brought the crowd closer to them and they're saying they've no doubt that on a busy day it would make a big difference to the atmosphere.

"Being at home is always an advantage, but the more noise you can get at a sporting event, within reason, the better.

"With the higher stand, the steeper banking and so on it does create much more of an arena and, most importantly, it does give views at that end of the ground which are as good as any you'll get to watch cricket."

A £200,000 grant from UK Sport has helped pay for the stand which includes new facilities for disabled spectators, additional public toilets and bar outlets.

Newton said: "It's another example of the way we're trying to improve things.

"There's a traditional view that nothing in this wonderful ground should change, but that isn't realistic because regulations change and also buildings start to fall down.

"You have to improve and since it's been built and everything is in place, there's no doubt the vast majority of people who have seen it do approve."