Worcestershire: New Road 'situation worsening' as water levels rise, says Ashley Giles

Worcestershire may have no choice but to move home if water levels continue to rise at New Road, their County Championship base since 1899, chief executive Ashley Giles has warned.

The promoted Pears' short-term mission is to have the pitch fit for the first home game on 19 April against Durham.

But Giles says that, as Pears CEO, his first job is also to "consider the club's long-term sustainability".

"The situation is worsening, and we need to keep an eye on it," he said.

Speaking in the county's own new Three Pears Chat video, which was launched over the weekend, Giles said: "The stats say in the last 20 years we've had as many high floods as they did in the previous 100.

"We know it's one of the most iconic grounds in the world, and absolutely everyone wants to stay there. But it has to be in my thoughts and it has to be in the thoughts of our membership.

"There is nothing we can really do. We're on a floodplain, and that is the way it is."

Although most of the issues over the years have been from winter flooding, New Road suffered its worst flood-hit season in 2007 when it was badly hit in mid-summer - and could not stage another home game for the rest of that season, being forced to play the majority of their matches at Kidderminster.

The other main issue is that it is not simply the nearby River Severn bursting its banks that causes problems, but the overflow that comes back via the drains at the Diglis End of the ground.

"We know the way we're going," said Giles. "Within 20 years, the square and pitches may be unusable because of the layers of dirt and silt and all sorts of other stuff that comes year in, year out, maybe four times per year."

The England and Wales Cricket Board has already accommodated the uniqueness of the Pears' problem, having for some years now allowed them to play their first two County Championship games away from home, allowing a little bit more leeway for clean-up time.

But New Road has already been under water four times since the end of last season, making it very hard for the ground staff to do any pre-season work.

"We are very lucky with our grounds team," said Giles. "They work incredibly hard. But we know from history that we could still get another flood before the start of the season. And, right now, it will be a challenge to be ready for the first home game."