Alex Gidman: Worcestershire head coach leaves New Road with immediate effect

Alex Gidman scored more than 11,000 runs in his first-class career

Worcestershire's Alex Gidman has left with immediate effect after almost four years as the Pears head coach.

The ex-Gloucestershire & Worcestershire player, 41, returned to New Road in March 2018 as second XI coach.

Gidman then took charge of the first team in November 2018, having been part of the backroom team at Edgbaston for Worcestershire's T20 Blast triumph.

He led the club to a second successive T20 Blast Finals Day in 2019, when they finished runners-up to Essex.

Worcestershire announced in July that they were planning a change of structure.

The club are looking to recruit a director of cricket for a new wide-ranging role that will be "responsible for all coaching staff, cricket operations, science and medicine and the academy".

Gidman said: "I have enjoyed my time with Worcestershire and thank the club for all for its support."

Alex Gidman's time in Pear country

Gidman's association with the Pears started when he signed from Gloucestershire in September 2014, on a two-year deal, but he was forced to retire 18 months later because of a finger injury.

He returned to the staff following the departure of long-serving Steve Rhodes, before then taking over the top job from Sharp.

The club came close to making history the following year, narrowly failing to become the first side to successfully defend the title, when they lost to Essex.

In the County Championship, the Pears were unable to win promotion back to Division One under Gidman following relegation from the top flight in 2018.

They finished fourth in Division Two this season, 31 points adrift of Middlesex, who took the second promotion spot.

Gidman's departure follows those of all-rounders Ed Barnard and Moeen Ali, who are both joining local rivals Warwickshire for 2023.