WORCESTERSHIRE CCC head coach Alex Gidman insists there remains “no whingeing or complaining” in the squad despite the County’s gruelling schedule of games to start their 2021 LV=Insurance County Championship campaign.

County are today facing their seventh consecutive match, as they begin the four-day clash with Nottinghamshire CCC, who had a rest last week, at Trent Bridge.

Worcestershire suffered their first defeat of the season last week at Durham but Gidman says his side are more than capable of bouncing back.

Gidman said: “It is demanding the way the cards have been dealt for us so far this season, but one of the strengths of the group is the fact we get on with what is right in front of us.

“There has been no whingeing or complaining about it. We are just taking one game at a time, and the lads are putting in so much effort.

“The attitude has been fantastic, and we are looking forward to another tough game of cricket against, once again, a very strong team.”

County have drawn five and lost one in Group One, which Gidman knows is an extremely competitive group.

“It is an extremely tough group, and we know the other teams when they are at full strength, are tough teams to beat,” he said.

“However, we’ve got a great culture, a great belief in our group that we can take anyone on, and the lads will try their absolute utmost to do that again this week.

“With the weather and some of the wickets we’ve played on, we haven’t had many games I feel we could have genuinely won.

“I’m really pleased with the points we’ve got and, for this group of players to be in the mix, shows what a great job they’ve done so far.”

The team change sees West Indies international Alzarri Joseph back in the squad after being rested against Durham as part of the club’s rotation policy for the bowlers.

Jake Libby will be returning to play at Trent Bridge for the first time since his move to New Road on a three-year contract.

He passed 1,000 runs in only his 11th match for the club at Durham and has faced more deliveries – 1292 – than any other batsman in the country this season.