DIRECTOR of cricket Steve Rhodes is keen to give the majority of his Worcestershire squad as much game-time as possible ahead of the new LV= County Championship Division One season.

The County, having returned from warm weather matches in Abu Dhabi, face five matches in the cooler English conditions over the next 10 days before the curtain-raiser against Yorkshire at New Road, which gets under way on Sunday, April 12.

Worcestershire host Gloucestershire in a 50-over match tomorrow before facing the same opponents in a two-day fixture on Thursday and Friday.

They then have two-day games at Warwickshire and Northamptonshire either side of taking on Oxford MCCU over three.

Rhodes has named a 13-man squad for the two matches against Gloucestershire at New Road with fans set to get their first glimpse of new signing Alex Gidman, who goes up against his former team.

With skipper Daryl Mitchell playing for the MCC in Abu Dhabi and England contracted Moeen Ali out injured, there could be chances for Richard Oliver and Tom Kohler-Cadmore at the top of the order.

Rhodes said: "We have got a pretty healthy squad at the minute and we want to give people opportunities to impress and therefore having plenty of opportunities for them to play means we can pick and choose who plays when.

"Most of the squad will get a game which will be a good opportunity for them to impress. Everybody is fit and raring to go."

He added: "We have got 10 days of our English pre-season and what we are trying to achieve is getting used to English conditions again which is really important.

"We want to make sure the bowlers are hitting their straps right and that batsmen are spending time in the middle. They are all good things that you would want to get right."

Worcestershire have also been boosted by being able to prepare for the 2015 campaign at New Road following last year's flooding disruption, which saw the friendlies played at Chester Road in Kidderminster.

"We had a good trip to Abu Dhabi and are lucky to be at New Road for pre-season because the weather has been good," the County chief said.

"Kidderminster is fine but the lads enjoy being back at headquarters and would rather be here than Kidderminster."

Admission for all three days against Gloucestershire is free.

Worcestershire (from): Oliver, Kohler-Cadmore, Fell, Gidman, Kervezee, Whiteley, Cox, D'Oliveira, Leach, Shantry, Morris, Choudhry, Andrew.