West Indies all-rounder Jason Holder said his five-match spell with Worcestershire in the English County Championship has sparked his love for the sport again.
The 32-year-old Barbadian said he enjoyed his spell with the club and will consider returning to New Road for another stint in the future – but he was excited about returning to England with West Indies for their three-Test series after trying to help the Caribbean side win the ICC Men’s Twenty20 World Cup to be staged next month in the Caribbean and the United States.
“It has been unbelievable, a hell of an experience,” Holder said in an interview appearing on the club’s website. “I think the boys have been outstanding. I said to them they have given me a new love for cricket. It has been one of those stints where you get everything you want to achieve out of it.
“It is unfortunate we didn’t win a game, and I was really looking forward to singing the team song, but each and every game has shown glimpses that this team has something special about it.”
Holder scored 186 runs from six innings in the five matches he played including an undefeated 123 against Kent at Canterbury and snared nine wickets at a little more than 44 apiece during his stint with Worcestershire.
“The boys are a hell of a bunch,” he added. “I’ve enjoyed every single moment, and I’ll definitely be back. I’ve been amazed about how tight one group can be and everyone plays for the right reasons.
“Everyone plays for the team. It’s one big family, everyone is behind each other, no man is left alone, and it’s just one of those attitudes and environments you want to be in.”
He said: “You wake up and look forward every single morning to going in and being around these boys and that is something I haven’t had for a very long time.
“I thank Worcestershire for having me, and hopefully, I can be back and actually play a game at New Road.”
Worcestershire have drawn four of their five matches so far this season, and they are seventh in the 10-team Division 1 table on 58 points.