Dressing room dynamic can power promotion bid at New Road

The Pears are back in Division Two after relegation last year continued their yo-yo existence in red-ball cricket in recent years. To be relegated in 2025 was a big disappointment after they finished a very creditable sixth, above neighbours Warwickshire, in 2024. But they will start the ’26 season away to Derbyshire on Friday very much determined to return to the top tier – and then build some time there to bury the yo-yo.  

“There are only a handful of clubs, if that, who have continually played in Division One,” said Richardson. “It is really difficult. Yorkshire were recently in Division Two and Lancashire are there now, so it is a challenge for even the counties at Test grounds.  

“It is our aim to be a more established First Division club. We did amazingly well to finish sixth in 2024. That was real testament to the strength of the group under the challenges we faced. We knew it was going to be a big challenge to replicate that last season. In the club’s history we have only ever stayed up for two successive seasons twice and that was one of them. We played some really competitive cricket but ultimately were not quite good enough to get over the line in enough games.