WORCESTERSHIRE supporters will have an early opportunity to see the first team in home action.

The County take on local rivals Gloucestershire in a two-day friendly at Royal Grammar School, Worcester at Flagge Meadow on April 3 and 4.

RGS Worcester is now Worcestershire's official emergency back-up ground should there be a repeat of the summer floods of 2007 at New Road.

The fixture means that Worcestershire will play seven days cricket in this country after returning from the training camp in Abu Dhabi as preparation for the new season.

New skipper Joe Leach's side will tackle Somerset in two one-day matches at Taunton Vale on March 30-31.

After the Gloucestershire game, the County will take on Leeds-Bradford MCCU in a first class fixture at Weetwood from April 7-9.

Worcestershire director of cricket Steve Rhodes said: "The two-day game at RGS Worcester will be really good.

"It is a home fixture for our supporters to watch at that time of year but, added to that, a good opportunity for RGS to show us how they can cope with the facilities etc for a first team game.

"Leeds-Bradford should also be good and they are reasonable opposition.

"To go up to Leeds in early April will be good for breaking us in for when we play our first Championship game at Glamorgan."