Worcestershire all-rounder Tom Taylor has been lauded with praise for his "sterling contribution" ahead of the Pears' County Championship clash with Hampshire.

The 29-year-old, who joined the club this season, was sidelined for the first seven Championship games due to an injury sustained while taking a catch off his own bowling.

However, since his return, Taylor has made a significant impact across all formats, claiming 23 wickets in five Championship appearances and contributing crucial runs lower down the order.

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The Pears head coach, Alan Richardson, said: "We knew about Tom in terms of the skill sets that he shows with bat, ball, and in the field, and it is good he is making contributions as much as he is.

"Thankfully having Tommy back for the second half of the season has worked really well for us."

Richardson also praised Taylor's seamless integration into the club, saying: "A first season at a new club is always testing and challenging, but he has fitted in brilliantly well and made a sterling contribution."

Club captain, Brett D’Oliveira, shared similar sentiments.

He said: "When we signed Tommy, I was really excited about it, the capabilities that he has got with the bat and the ball.

"That is coming to the forefront now.

"He definitely got us in a position to be able to go on and win against Warwickshire with that spell of bowling on day three."

Worcestershire are set to face Hampshire next week as they look to secure the nine points required to guarantee Division One cricket for the 2025 season.

Richardson emphasised the importance of maintaining focus on their own performances.

He said: "We’ve got two more games and the attitude will not change.

"I think we have played some really good cricket in these first 12 Championship games and, if we can continue to do that in the last two, we will be really happy with our season."

All-rounder Joe Leach is set to return for his penultimate appearance before retirement, while New Zealand pace bowler James Hartshorn is also in contention after recovering from an injury niggle.