A ONE-DAY or T20 final and a top-half finish in the Championship are on the wish list of Worcestershire head coach Kevin Sharp as the 2018 season gets into its strides.
The proud Yorkshireman took over from former director of cricket Steve Rhodes during the winter and revealed his delight at accepting the role, bringing stability to the club following a troubled winter.
Sharp was the Second XI coach and batting coach under Rhodes and his appointment was backed by a host of Pears players in the New Road dressing room.
“I was asked to take on the role which was unexpected to me,” said Sharp.
“However, I was asked for the right reasons I have been in the game a long time with a fair amount of coaching and playing.
“I’ve an affinity to Worcester going back many years and have grown to love this place.
“Mike Fearnley brought me here to meet his brother Duncan who sponsored me all my career.
“I like to communicate and bring people together and the lads have responded well.
“We’ve put together an excellent coaching team with Alan Richardson coming back and Alex Gidman who have been great to work with.
“I like to think we are now in a good place, the club has pulled itself together and its a healthy place.”
The Pears reached the semi-finals of the Royal London One Day Cup last summer before a crushing defeat by Surrey and have enjoyed trips to the quarter-finals in the T20Blast and Sharp hopes his charges can go one better this season.
“We’d like to win a one-day competition,” he said.
“We have never been to a finals day in T20 but have been in three quarter-finals but with the powerhouse line up we have this year I think that is a real possibility.
“As far as the Championship is concerned we want to compete and be a top-half club.”
Sharp added he was excited by the ‘powerhouse’ batting line up assembled for white ball cricket with overseas stars Travis Head, Martin Guptil and Callum Ferguson joining a batting line-up which already boasts Joe Clarke and big-hitting Ross Whiteley.
“Martin will come in, initially as cover when Travis joins up with the Australian squad for the one-day internationals with England but then both will play some T20 together which is an exciting position for us,” he said.
“Callum Ferguson will also play his part and I am really made up with what we have been able to achieve in that department.”
Travis Head began life as a Worcestershire batsman with an impressive showing with the bat against Hampshire and Sharp hoped he would continue to prosper in English conditions.
“I think the batting order is well established in Championship cricket and I am sure Travis will fit nicely into our middle order,” he added.