Pardoe Replaces Kervezee at Buckinghamshire

Buckinghamshire have replaced one former Worcestershire batter with another as their professional for next season.

Alexei Kervezee has retired from National Counties cricket having been appointed Worcestershire’s Second XI coach but Matt Pardoe has been recruited after ten years as Herefordshire’s captain.

Kervezee, a Netherlands international, led Buckinghamshire to the NCCA Cluberly Championship in his last match for the county with victory over Devon in the final at West Bromwich Dartmouth in September.

He has now returned to New Road to join a Worcestershire coaching staff which includes two former Staffordshire players in Head Coach Alan Richardson and Assistant Coach Kadeer Ali plus former Lincolnshire seamer Elliot Wilson who is their Academy Head Coach.

Pardoe, who was a team-mate of Kervezee’s at Worcestershire, has ended his long association with Herefordshire but already has links with Buckinghamshire as he teaches at RGS High Wycombe. He will also play his club cricket for High Wycombe next season.

“Matt will be hugely missed by all of us in Herefordshire,” said Herefordshire chairman Richard Prime.

“He has been a wonderful player for us over 11 seasons with bat and ball and remains one of the very best cricketers playing at National Counties level.

“But he has also been an excellent leader and is an outstanding human being who is liked and respected throughout the National Counties circuit.

“We thank him for all he has done for us over the years and wish him well with everything he does in the future, both on and off the cricket field.

“The only positive I can see at the moment is that Herefordshire are not due to face Buckinghamshire in any of the competitions in 2026 so we don’t yet have to worry about coming up against him on the field of play!”

Pardoe made more than 2,800 Championship runs for Herefordshire, including six centuries, and a further 1,670 runs in white ball cricket.

Kervezee, who played for Shropshire in 2018 and 2019 before joining Buckinghamshire in 2021, ended his National Counties career with 2,625 Championship runs – seven centuries and 14 fifties – plus 1,806 runs in white ball cricket including a century and 13 fifties.