WORCESTERSHIRE are finalising their pre-season fixture programme at home and abroad ahead of the 2016 campaign.

The County are pencilled in to play Essex, Derbyshire and a UAE XI in a mixture of T20, 50-over and red-ball cricket when they return to Abu Dhabi in early March for the third successive year.

But they will also have at least seven days’ cricket in England on their return from the UAE ahead of the opening County Championship Division Two match with Kent at New Road on April 10.

The County will take on Somerset in a two-day friendly at Taunton on March 28 and 29 and then local rivals Warwickshire at Edgbaston on April 5 and 6.

They also meet Oxford MCCU in a three-day first-class fixture at The Parks from March 31 until April 2.

In previous seasons, the fixture has taken place after the first Championship match but its position in the 2016 calendar means it will in effect provide another warm-up match.

Worcestershire assistant coach Matt Mason said: “The itinerary is carefully planned to hopefully make sure all the players are firing on all cylinders when the Championship fixtures get under way.

“The players will enjoy and benefit from the warm-weather training and matches in the UAE after a winter of training at New Road and Malvern College and it is something they always look forward to.

“But equally it is important then to get in matches in English conditions under their belt on their return — overs in the legs of the bowlers and time at the crease for the batsmen.”