2010 in a nutshell:
2010 was a somewhat disappointing year overall for the Gladiators. In the County Championship the club finished fifth in Division Two after a fairly disastrous end to the season. Once again it was generally the bowling which was the stronger suit for Gloucestershire, so much so in fact that two thirds of their 2010 County Championship wickets came from players who have been drawn away to supposedly bigger and better things. The biggest negative for Gloucestershire was undoubtedly the ease with which they were turned over on no less than nine occasions (matched only by Warwickshire). At home they won just two County Championship matches, not good enough. In the T20, Gloucestershire finished bottom of the Southern Group, enough said. It was a slightly better story in the 40 Over League, where the Gladiators narrowly missed out on the knockout stages, finishing third by just one point in Group B. Overall, it was a season to forget, although there were glimpses of the potential residing at this club of great history.
2011 prospects:
Departures galore across the disciplines will hurt the Gladiators, but not perhaps as much as people first may think. A promotion challenge is an outside possibility, but without a top quality spinner in the County Championship, and with a number of inexperienced players throughout the side, the consistency of performance will probably not match that required for a serious push. Much more likely is success in the T20, aided by the signing of the magical Murali, somewhat of a miracle for a club so strapped of cash. This alone would be a welcome change from last season, when the club faired so badly. A lot will depend on how quickly the new youngsters and new overseas signing, Kane Williamson, adapt to county cricket.
Batting:
The top order has undergone a bit of an overhaul, as in been replaced! Kadeer Ali was let go and William Porterfield is now plying his trade at Warwickshire. Allrounder Rob Woodman and very surprisingly, wicket keeper Steven Snell, were also released. Finally, James Franklin has been replaced by fellow Kiwi Williamson, a destructive player with bags of potential. Ian Cockbain, Richard Coughtrie and Chris Dent face a tough time in their first full seasons with the club and this is why I expect the batting to once again be the county’s downfall across the competitions. Will Gidman meanwhile will hope for more action than he had at Durham, now that he has been reunited with his brother once again. The burden will rest largely with Captain and talisman Alex Gidman and overseas player Williamson, who will bat at three. Hamish Marshall along with veterans Jonathan Batty and Chris Taylor will also be looked to for significant contributions across the three formats and a bit more consistency than they were able to muster last year.
Bowling:
The departures have been plentiful. Steve Kirby has moved on to Somerset in the hope of international honours as he approaches the twilight of his career. The great find of last season, Gemaal Hussain rather did the dirty on the club that gave him a chance and joins Kirby at Somerset for this season. Franklin hasn’t come back this year and even Anthony Ireland has moved on to Middlesex. However, what appears depressing to begin with could in fact become a major positive for the club. Young fast bowlers are coming through the ranks and there are high hopes for Liam Norwell (right arm fast-medium) especially, along with David Payne (left arm fast-medium) and Ian Saxelby (right arm medium, who can bat). Led by the evergreen Jon Lewis, who is fast becoming an allrounder it seems, there is real hope for the seam attack this year, so expect the bowling to remain pretty strong despite the departures. The problem then? Spin, or the lack thereof yet again. Gloucestershire will again be dependent on the inconsistent twosome of Vikram Banerjee and Richard Dawson (now also the spin bowling coach), apart from when Murali arrives for the T20 of course. If only he could play all year...
Probable side:
Cockbain
Batty (wk)
Williamson
Marshall
A. Gidman (c)
Taylor
W. Gidman
Saxelby
Lewis
Payne (Banerjee)
Norwell
An all pace attack is likely more often than not in the County Championship, given the relative weakness of the spin options available.
Key Man:
My pick is Alex Gidman, Captain, talisman and a supremely talented and dangerous player, who has been on the verge of England selection for the past few years. He can be a destructive player, whose allround contribution and leadership of those younger players will prove decisive on many occasions for Gloucestershire this year. He will have to massively improve on last years’ efforts though, when he averaged just 23.
Rising Star:
Liam Norwell is a young right arm English bowler capable of making the breakthrough this year and more than that, making a real contribution to the county’s success. If he performs as well for the Gladiators as he has for the youth team then the county will find themselves with a more than adequate replacement for the likes of Steve Kirby and Gemaal Hussain.
Captain and Coach:
Alex Gidman has already been mentioned a lot, indicating the county’s reliance on him. As a Captain he leads by example and hopefully the younger additions to the side will follow in his stride. As for the coach, John Bracewell, he has always been considered as a bit of a one day specialist, but he will be desperate to improve the clubs fortunes in the longest and shortest versions of the game. His nurturing of the young talent in this side will be key to Gloucestershire’s chances of success and he will need to get the blend of experience and youth right throughout the season.
Prediction:
Just outside the promotion places in the County Championship and progress to the knockout stages of the T20 Cup. Finals day is a possibility if the batting clicks for the Gladiators, but it rarely does. The 40 Over League will probably be used as a breeding ground for some more youngsters meanwhile.
Showing posts with label Alex Gidman. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Alex Gidman. Show all posts
Saturday, 16 April 2011
Sunday, 6 April 2008
2008 Season Preview: Gloucs
Colin Crew assesses Gloucestershire's chances of success in 2008.
2007 in a nutshell:
2007 was a fairly predictable season for Gloucestershire with some decent performances in the one day formats, including a Twenty20 final, but limited success in the longer game. GCCC notched just 3 wins in the County Championship, only just managing to defend a fourth innings lead of 415 at home against Northants and having to wait until August for their second victory. As ever, the bowling attack was more successful when trying to contain in the one day game than bowl the opposition out over four days and Gloucestershire never looked remotely like challenging for County Championship promotion.
2008 prospects:
More of the same? Gloucestershire have some pedigree in the one dayers and know how to win tight games, so can perhaps hope for more success this season. Their form in four day cricket has fallen away further since relegation however and there has been little investment in new players in order to rectify this. In addition, many of the established players such as Craig Spearman, Jon Lewis, Steve Kirby and Chris Taylor are now in their thirties and although some of the younger batsmen have shown promise, the same can scarcely be said of the bowlers. A limited over triumph and a County Championship season spent outside lowerst echelons is probably as much as the realists amongst the Nevil Road faithful would dare to hope for.
Batting:
Although no batsman made 1000 first class runs in 2007, 19 centuries from eight different players suggest that runs, at least in County Championship Division 2, should not be too hard to come by. Gloucestershire will however have to wait until the 9th April for the ECB’s deliberations over the registration of former Kiwi international and ICL ‘rebel’ Hamish Marshall. The absence of the fuzzy-haired batsman would leave a hole in the top order that even the potential deluge of runs from the bat of Marcus North would be unlikely to fill.
Three of the available batsmen, North, Spearman and Alex Gidman, will be shoo-ins when fit. With the ECB unlikely to back-track over Marshall, this will probably leave 4 or 5 batsman scrapping over 3 places in the top order. Grant Hodnett and Kadeer Ali, both now 25, could be said to have had ‘breakthrough seasons in 2007 and there is hopefully more to come from them at the top of the order. Bristol-born Chris Taylor had a better year in 2007 but with both his age and average now just over thirty, he is by no means a certain starter. The dark horse might be the newly arrived Irish international Will Porterfield and if given a chance, the young left-handed opener could prove an ideal foil for Spearman.
Of the others, David Brown’s seam bowling is a handy addition to his aggressive middle order batting. Jackson Thompson comes with a reputation as a big hitter in club cricket but is largely an unknown quantity at first class level. Steve Adshead is likely to continue with the gloves and bat in the Number 7 spot, but it will be hoped that his consistency and an average of around 30 will both improve this season; following Jack Russell into the GCCC side has been an unenviable task for Adshead. In the limited chances he has had, Stephen Snell is yet to convince that he would be a better option though.
Bowling:
On the evidence of the last few seasons, perhaps that should be bowler? Excluding occasional injuries and his sojourns as a mostly non-playing member of the England side, Jon Lewis has been head and shoulders above the rest of the Gloucestershire attack and has been largely unsupported in his role as the team’s main wicket taker. Kirby on his day can be a more than useful partner but it is sad to relate that one must look back quite a few years to the Lewis/Smith/Harvey triumvirate for a seam attack with real match winning potential.
As good a player as North is, an overseas bowler, or bowling all-rounder, may well have been a better signing for 2008. Only Kirby took more than 30 first class wickets in 2007.
Of the current crop of seamers, Carl Greenidge and Mark Hardinges have had variable success and are now both around thirty, whilst the younger players such as Anthony Ireland, Tom Stayt, Will Rudge and David Brown have had limited opportunities thus far. Ireland is still only 23, achieved reasonable ODI figures during his international career with Zimbabwe and will be hoping for an extended run in the side at some point. There is certainly a real need for one or more of these players to step up their game.
The spin bowling option will be provided by the two orthodox left armers, with the wily veteran Ian Fisher more likely to play a containing role in limited overs cricket whilst the youngster Vikram Banerjee hopefully continues his development in the four day matches. New signing Matthew Gitsham, a leg spinner, is something of an unknown quantity at first class level, but at 26 he has time on his side.
Probable Championship side:
Gloucestershire will again suffer from not having a true all-rounder on the staff, or a wicketkeeper who can bat at 6 or above like Chris Read or James Foster. As such, even with everyone fit, fielding a side with any real balance will be difficult. Marshall’s availability – or the probable lack of it – will shape the middle order.
It seems likely that either Hardinges, Greenidge or Ireland will fill the role of third seamer. Hardinges may get the nod as he at least offers something with the bat, which none of the other bowlers do. Without him, the tail starts to look worryingly long, although selecting a third seamer based on batting ability is an indictment in itself of the lack of quality bowlers available.
The likelihood is that Gloucestershire will start most County Championship matches with four specialist bowlers and that Gidman and North will therefore be needed to provide back up seam and spin.
Possible XI:
CM Spearman
Kadeer Ali (WTS Porterfield?)
GP Hodnett (HJH Marshall?)
MJ North
APR Gidman
CG Taylor (?)
SJ Adshead
MA Hardinges
J Lewis
SP Kirby
V Banerjee
Key Man:
It is likely to be Lewis yet again, as both captain and premier bowler. With the possible exception of Kirby, he looks to be the one bowler capable of taking enough wickets in a match to enable Gloucestershire to challenge in the four day game. Gidman will once again have a big part to play and North looks a sound bet for a thousand or more first class runs.
Rising Star(s):
A few candidates, but not perhaps an outstanding one. At 26, Gidman can no longer be considered a ‘youngster’ but one senses in him that there is talent still to be fulfilled. Will Porterfield’s success in ODIs suggests that in time he may be able to establish himself at the top of the order.
But young slow left armer Vikram Banerjee, described by his Cambridge University teammates as having "fingers like Paul Daniels", could be the one to watch later in the season if given more attacking fields and more runs to play with than he was during 2007.
Captain and Coach:
It’s been all change at Nevil Road with Mark Alleyne, employed in a coaching role for the past three seasons, ending a 22 year association with GCCC. It has to be said that his years as captain were generally more successful than those as coach, but ‘Boo Boo’ has been a fantastic servant to the County and will be missed.
Jack Russell, a true Gloucestershire hero, will take over as ‘Team Mentor’, assisting skipper Jon Lewis, although it not clear from the title or Russell’s explanation exactly what his role will be. There is also a rumour that this may be a short term appointment and that he is merely keeping a seat warm while the club attempt to entice John Bracewell back for 2009.
With new President Tony Brown and Chairman Mike Smith appointed, the GCCC backrooms are now filled with ex-players with a real sense of the clubs past success and history, but whether this can be translated to the field is another matter. Jon Lewis has recently stated that the target is to aim for promotion to Division 1 of the County Championship, but this would be a major and unexpected achievement with the current playing staff.
2007 in a nutshell:
2007 was a fairly predictable season for Gloucestershire with some decent performances in the one day formats, including a Twenty20 final, but limited success in the longer game. GCCC notched just 3 wins in the County Championship, only just managing to defend a fourth innings lead of 415 at home against Northants and having to wait until August for their second victory. As ever, the bowling attack was more successful when trying to contain in the one day game than bowl the opposition out over four days and Gloucestershire never looked remotely like challenging for County Championship promotion.
2008 prospects:
More of the same? Gloucestershire have some pedigree in the one dayers and know how to win tight games, so can perhaps hope for more success this season. Their form in four day cricket has fallen away further since relegation however and there has been little investment in new players in order to rectify this. In addition, many of the established players such as Craig Spearman, Jon Lewis, Steve Kirby and Chris Taylor are now in their thirties and although some of the younger batsmen have shown promise, the same can scarcely be said of the bowlers. A limited over triumph and a County Championship season spent outside lowerst echelons is probably as much as the realists amongst the Nevil Road faithful would dare to hope for.
Batting:
Although no batsman made 1000 first class runs in 2007, 19 centuries from eight different players suggest that runs, at least in County Championship Division 2, should not be too hard to come by. Gloucestershire will however have to wait until the 9th April for the ECB’s deliberations over the registration of former Kiwi international and ICL ‘rebel’ Hamish Marshall. The absence of the fuzzy-haired batsman would leave a hole in the top order that even the potential deluge of runs from the bat of Marcus North would be unlikely to fill.
Three of the available batsmen, North, Spearman and Alex Gidman, will be shoo-ins when fit. With the ECB unlikely to back-track over Marshall, this will probably leave 4 or 5 batsman scrapping over 3 places in the top order. Grant Hodnett and Kadeer Ali, both now 25, could be said to have had ‘breakthrough seasons in 2007 and there is hopefully more to come from them at the top of the order. Bristol-born Chris Taylor had a better year in 2007 but with both his age and average now just over thirty, he is by no means a certain starter. The dark horse might be the newly arrived Irish international Will Porterfield and if given a chance, the young left-handed opener could prove an ideal foil for Spearman.
Of the others, David Brown’s seam bowling is a handy addition to his aggressive middle order batting. Jackson Thompson comes with a reputation as a big hitter in club cricket but is largely an unknown quantity at first class level. Steve Adshead is likely to continue with the gloves and bat in the Number 7 spot, but it will be hoped that his consistency and an average of around 30 will both improve this season; following Jack Russell into the GCCC side has been an unenviable task for Adshead. In the limited chances he has had, Stephen Snell is yet to convince that he would be a better option though.
Bowling:
On the evidence of the last few seasons, perhaps that should be bowler? Excluding occasional injuries and his sojourns as a mostly non-playing member of the England side, Jon Lewis has been head and shoulders above the rest of the Gloucestershire attack and has been largely unsupported in his role as the team’s main wicket taker. Kirby on his day can be a more than useful partner but it is sad to relate that one must look back quite a few years to the Lewis/Smith/Harvey triumvirate for a seam attack with real match winning potential.
As good a player as North is, an overseas bowler, or bowling all-rounder, may well have been a better signing for 2008. Only Kirby took more than 30 first class wickets in 2007.
Of the current crop of seamers, Carl Greenidge and Mark Hardinges have had variable success and are now both around thirty, whilst the younger players such as Anthony Ireland, Tom Stayt, Will Rudge and David Brown have had limited opportunities thus far. Ireland is still only 23, achieved reasonable ODI figures during his international career with Zimbabwe and will be hoping for an extended run in the side at some point. There is certainly a real need for one or more of these players to step up their game.
The spin bowling option will be provided by the two orthodox left armers, with the wily veteran Ian Fisher more likely to play a containing role in limited overs cricket whilst the youngster Vikram Banerjee hopefully continues his development in the four day matches. New signing Matthew Gitsham, a leg spinner, is something of an unknown quantity at first class level, but at 26 he has time on his side.
Probable Championship side:
Gloucestershire will again suffer from not having a true all-rounder on the staff, or a wicketkeeper who can bat at 6 or above like Chris Read or James Foster. As such, even with everyone fit, fielding a side with any real balance will be difficult. Marshall’s availability – or the probable lack of it – will shape the middle order.
It seems likely that either Hardinges, Greenidge or Ireland will fill the role of third seamer. Hardinges may get the nod as he at least offers something with the bat, which none of the other bowlers do. Without him, the tail starts to look worryingly long, although selecting a third seamer based on batting ability is an indictment in itself of the lack of quality bowlers available.
The likelihood is that Gloucestershire will start most County Championship matches with four specialist bowlers and that Gidman and North will therefore be needed to provide back up seam and spin.
Possible XI:
CM Spearman
Kadeer Ali (WTS Porterfield?)
GP Hodnett (HJH Marshall?)
MJ North
APR Gidman
CG Taylor (?)
SJ Adshead
MA Hardinges
J Lewis
SP Kirby
V Banerjee
Key Man:
It is likely to be Lewis yet again, as both captain and premier bowler. With the possible exception of Kirby, he looks to be the one bowler capable of taking enough wickets in a match to enable Gloucestershire to challenge in the four day game. Gidman will once again have a big part to play and North looks a sound bet for a thousand or more first class runs.
Rising Star(s):
A few candidates, but not perhaps an outstanding one. At 26, Gidman can no longer be considered a ‘youngster’ but one senses in him that there is talent still to be fulfilled. Will Porterfield’s success in ODIs suggests that in time he may be able to establish himself at the top of the order.
But young slow left armer Vikram Banerjee, described by his Cambridge University teammates as having "fingers like Paul Daniels", could be the one to watch later in the season if given more attacking fields and more runs to play with than he was during 2007.
Captain and Coach:
It’s been all change at Nevil Road with Mark Alleyne, employed in a coaching role for the past three seasons, ending a 22 year association with GCCC. It has to be said that his years as captain were generally more successful than those as coach, but ‘Boo Boo’ has been a fantastic servant to the County and will be missed.
Jack Russell, a true Gloucestershire hero, will take over as ‘Team Mentor’, assisting skipper Jon Lewis, although it not clear from the title or Russell’s explanation exactly what his role will be. There is also a rumour that this may be a short term appointment and that he is merely keeping a seat warm while the club attempt to entice John Bracewell back for 2009.
With new President Tony Brown and Chairman Mike Smith appointed, the GCCC backrooms are now filled with ex-players with a real sense of the clubs past success and history, but whether this can be translated to the field is another matter. Jon Lewis has recently stated that the target is to aim for promotion to Division 1 of the County Championship, but this would be a major and unexpected achievement with the current playing staff.
Thursday, 3 April 2008
2008 Season Preview: Gloucestershire
2007 in a nutshell:
There was disappointment for the Gladiators in the County Championship as the club finished a measly seventh in Division Two, mainly because of some inept batting displays. They narrowly survived in Pro40 Division 1 to avoid being condemned to the second division in both formats. Gloucestershire were unfortunate to miss out on the semi-finals of the Friends Provident Trophy, courtesy of net run rate, as Essex made it through instead. The only real success of the season came in the Twenty20 Cup for the Gladiators, as they made it all the way to finals day, where they eventually finished as runners-up to Kent.
2008 prospects:
It is difficult to see how it can really get any better for Gloucestershire this year. Marcus North has been brought in to strengthen the batting line up along with William Porterfield. Both are still looking to establish themselves in the English county game, with North having flattered to deceive on previous visits to these shores. Apart from those two additions there have been no real changes, other than on the coaching side, where Mark Alleyne has yet to be replaced. It is hard to see the club getting near the promotion slots in the County Championship, with sixth place a more realistic finish, but there is a strong possibility that the side will again be dangerous in limited overs cricket, especially during the early stages of the season, when seam and not spin should dominate.
Batting:
Veteran and beneficiary Craig Spearman will be joined by William Porterfield at the top of the order and with the likes of Hamish Marshall (registration permitting), Marcus North, Alex Gidman and Chris Taylor to follow, the team should be capable of putting solid totals on the board, especially in limited overs cricket, where Stephen Adshead, David Brown and Mark Hardinges can all contribute quick lower order runs. Kadeer Ali and Grant Hodnett will likely spend the majority of the season on the sidelines, form permitting, although Ali will likely feature more in limited overs cricket.
Bowling:
In Jon Lewis and Steve Kirby, Gloucestershire have an excellent new ball bowling attack, more than capable of exploiting the sometimes moist pitches of Bristol, Cheltenham and Gloucester. Anthony Ireland is a very capable accomplice who has impressed for Zimbabwe in International Cricket prior to his decision to leave the country, but he has yet to excel in county cricket. Mark Hardinges and Alex Gidman offer gentle medium pace which will be used more in limited overs cricket. On the spinning front the club will once again rely on Ian Fisher, who will be supported by part timers Marcus North and Chris Taylor. This is the county’s greatest weakness though and they will be hoping that slow left arm bowler, Vikram Banerjee, can overcome a rather disappointing 2007 to emerge as a possible threat to Monty Panesar. The nomadic Carl Greenidge is again likely to be disappointed by his lack of action.
Probable side:
Spearman
Porterfield (Ali)
Marshall
North
Gidman
Taylor (Brown)
Adshead (wk)
Fisher (Hardinges/Banerjee)
Lewis (c)
Ireland (Hardinges/Banerjee)
Kirby
On the face of it Gloucestershire appear to have a reasonably strong top five and opening bowling partnership. However there are a lot of nearly men lurking in this side (Spearman, North, Taylor, Kirby) and they will all need to perform consistently if the club is to challenge for honours. Jon Lewis and Alex Gidman will both be looking for further England recognition and if they get it they will be impossible to replace, as the squad is littered with average players. The spin bowling slot is up for grabs and certain games could see the Gladiators competing without one, especially early doors, where the allround talents of Mark Hardinges may be favoured, especially in limited overs games. Chris Taylor starts as favourite for the final batting slot but the youngsters will be pushing him hard for his place, so he needs to start the season well, while the young David Brown will be looking to develop his swing bowling and build on a belligerent fifty, made on his debut in 2006.
Key Man:
It comes down to two players I think (Three if Marshall turns out). The first is captain Jon Lewis who is the only Gloucestershire player to have been given full England honours in the past decade. The county will rely heavily on his bowling and tactical nous if they are to enjoy a successful campaign. The second, and my pick, is Alex Gidman, a dangerous player, who is on the verge of England selection. He is a powerful player, whose allround contribution will prove decisive on many occasions for Gloucestershire this year.
Rising Star:
One could be hard to find, which is part of the problem at Gloucestershire. Thomas Stayt is the only young Englishman capable of making a breakthrough this year, but it is far more likely that one of William Porterfield or Anthony Ireland will make the big impact required of a rising star. Ireland has struggled with his economy rate so far, so I am going to go for William Porterfield, who the county will rely on to fill the troublesome opening birth alongside Craig Spearman. If he performs as well for the Gladiators as he has for Ireland then the county could find themselves with a very good player indeed.
Captain and Coach:
Currently there is no news on who the new coach will be, which is hardly an ideal situation to be in, just a fortnight away from the new season. Somebody will need to step into the breach if the club is not to endure another season of misguided stagnation. Jon Lewis is a capable, if not spectacular captain and an excellent talisman for the club. England’s neglect of him is Gloucestershire’s gain and the opening swing bowler will give his all to the cause and try to instil some more mental toughness into his team mates.
There was disappointment for the Gladiators in the County Championship as the club finished a measly seventh in Division Two, mainly because of some inept batting displays. They narrowly survived in Pro40 Division 1 to avoid being condemned to the second division in both formats. Gloucestershire were unfortunate to miss out on the semi-finals of the Friends Provident Trophy, courtesy of net run rate, as Essex made it through instead. The only real success of the season came in the Twenty20 Cup for the Gladiators, as they made it all the way to finals day, where they eventually finished as runners-up to Kent.
2008 prospects:
It is difficult to see how it can really get any better for Gloucestershire this year. Marcus North has been brought in to strengthen the batting line up along with William Porterfield. Both are still looking to establish themselves in the English county game, with North having flattered to deceive on previous visits to these shores. Apart from those two additions there have been no real changes, other than on the coaching side, where Mark Alleyne has yet to be replaced. It is hard to see the club getting near the promotion slots in the County Championship, with sixth place a more realistic finish, but there is a strong possibility that the side will again be dangerous in limited overs cricket, especially during the early stages of the season, when seam and not spin should dominate.
Batting:
Veteran and beneficiary Craig Spearman will be joined by William Porterfield at the top of the order and with the likes of Hamish Marshall (registration permitting), Marcus North, Alex Gidman and Chris Taylor to follow, the team should be capable of putting solid totals on the board, especially in limited overs cricket, where Stephen Adshead, David Brown and Mark Hardinges can all contribute quick lower order runs. Kadeer Ali and Grant Hodnett will likely spend the majority of the season on the sidelines, form permitting, although Ali will likely feature more in limited overs cricket.
Bowling:
In Jon Lewis and Steve Kirby, Gloucestershire have an excellent new ball bowling attack, more than capable of exploiting the sometimes moist pitches of Bristol, Cheltenham and Gloucester. Anthony Ireland is a very capable accomplice who has impressed for Zimbabwe in International Cricket prior to his decision to leave the country, but he has yet to excel in county cricket. Mark Hardinges and Alex Gidman offer gentle medium pace which will be used more in limited overs cricket. On the spinning front the club will once again rely on Ian Fisher, who will be supported by part timers Marcus North and Chris Taylor. This is the county’s greatest weakness though and they will be hoping that slow left arm bowler, Vikram Banerjee, can overcome a rather disappointing 2007 to emerge as a possible threat to Monty Panesar. The nomadic Carl Greenidge is again likely to be disappointed by his lack of action.
Probable side:
Spearman
Porterfield (Ali)
Marshall
North
Gidman
Taylor (Brown)
Adshead (wk)
Fisher (Hardinges/Banerjee)
Lewis (c)
Ireland (Hardinges/Banerjee)
Kirby
On the face of it Gloucestershire appear to have a reasonably strong top five and opening bowling partnership. However there are a lot of nearly men lurking in this side (Spearman, North, Taylor, Kirby) and they will all need to perform consistently if the club is to challenge for honours. Jon Lewis and Alex Gidman will both be looking for further England recognition and if they get it they will be impossible to replace, as the squad is littered with average players. The spin bowling slot is up for grabs and certain games could see the Gladiators competing without one, especially early doors, where the allround talents of Mark Hardinges may be favoured, especially in limited overs games. Chris Taylor starts as favourite for the final batting slot but the youngsters will be pushing him hard for his place, so he needs to start the season well, while the young David Brown will be looking to develop his swing bowling and build on a belligerent fifty, made on his debut in 2006.
Key Man:
It comes down to two players I think (Three if Marshall turns out). The first is captain Jon Lewis who is the only Gloucestershire player to have been given full England honours in the past decade. The county will rely heavily on his bowling and tactical nous if they are to enjoy a successful campaign. The second, and my pick, is Alex Gidman, a dangerous player, who is on the verge of England selection. He is a powerful player, whose allround contribution will prove decisive on many occasions for Gloucestershire this year.
Rising Star:
One could be hard to find, which is part of the problem at Gloucestershire. Thomas Stayt is the only young Englishman capable of making a breakthrough this year, but it is far more likely that one of William Porterfield or Anthony Ireland will make the big impact required of a rising star. Ireland has struggled with his economy rate so far, so I am going to go for William Porterfield, who the county will rely on to fill the troublesome opening birth alongside Craig Spearman. If he performs as well for the Gladiators as he has for Ireland then the county could find themselves with a very good player indeed.
Captain and Coach:
Currently there is no news on who the new coach will be, which is hardly an ideal situation to be in, just a fortnight away from the new season. Somebody will need to step into the breach if the club is not to endure another season of misguided stagnation. Jon Lewis is a capable, if not spectacular captain and an excellent talisman for the club. England’s neglect of him is Gloucestershire’s gain and the opening swing bowler will give his all to the cause and try to instil some more mental toughness into his team mates.
Wednesday, 6 June 2007
Championship - Week 7
Eek! Week Seven already!Surrey’s problems continue, Yorkshire have a good week off, there’s a contender for game of the season in the 2nd division as well as an odd decision at Lords.
Div 1
The only positive result in Division 1 came as Surrey were comprehensively outplayed at home to Kent. Batting first, the home team struggled to just 166, with Andrew Hall getting a 5-fer. Kent then showed how easy batting could be, declaring on 564 for 5, with Martin van Jaarsveld, Darren Stevens and even Geraint Jones getting hundred. Needing over 400 to make Kent bat again, Surrey put up a better fight with Mark Ramprakash getting yet another hundred. However, from 210 for 3 they collapsed to 319 all out and Kent move well clear of the bottom two places. Surrey and Worcester need to turn their seasons around quickly if they aren’t to disappear back from whence they came.
Two top of the table contenders met at Edgbaston, although the weather prevented either from stealing a march on the current leaders. Hampshire were dismissed for just 169 in their first innings, with Warwickshire managing 262, mainly on the back of a ton from Alex Loudon. Hants then looked as if they were struggling second time round on 85 for 4, but a ton from Nic Pothas and support from John Crawley saw them to safety.
The top two teams from last season did battle at Hove, with Lancashire opening with 330 (a ton for Stuart Law), before Murali took 5-fer as Sussex were reduced to 235. Lancs struggled second time round, before declaring on 206 for 8. However, despite another 4 wickets for Murali, there wasn’t enough time to force a result and the result leaves Lancs already 27 points adrift of Yorkshire and in seventh place.
Div 2
Bizarre happenings at Lords, where in a rain affected first day, Somerset declared on 50 for 8, possibly with the aim of depriving Middlesex of a bonus point. The home team faired better in their first innings, scoring 252. Somerset were then struggling again second time round on 50 for 5 before a James Hildreth ton took Somerset to a respectable 339 (Chris Silverwood taking 6-fer). Middlesex knocked off the 139 needed to win for the loss of just three wickets to move above Somerset to second in the table.
The leaders Nottinghamshire did their best to manufacture a result with Leicestershire. Leicester batted first and despite a 5-fer for Charlie Schrek, reached 364, Paul Nixon top scoring with 98. Notts then declared at 102 for 3 and when Leicester did the same at 114 for 3, the leaders were left chasing 377. Stumps (and the game) were drawn with both teams still interested as Notts were 14 runs away with 8 wickets down.
A ton from Gareth Rees helped Glamorgan to a first innings total of 352 against injury hit Essex, for whom Danesh Kaneria took 5-fer. Prodigy James Harris took a wicket first ball in the Essex reply as they struggled to 204 all out. Glamorgan then declared on 174 for 5, leaving Essex to chase 323 to win. They did this for the loss of 6 wickets, thanks largely to 147 not out from Ravi Bopara. Glamorgan remain rooted to the bottom of the table.
The best game of the round and maybe the season so far came as Gloucestershire played host to Northamptonshire. It was all looking comfortable for the home team as they made 394 on the back of tons for Marcus North and Alex Gidman before bowling Northants out for 223. A second ton for Gidman then set up the declaration at 244 for 8, setting Northants a target of 416 to win. At 343 for 4 and 405 for 6, with David Sales getting 99 and Lance Klusener getting a ton, a Northants win looked probable. Into the final over, bowled by Carl Greenidge and Northants needed 8 to win with three wickets in hand. However, Gidman ran out the dangerous Niall O’Brien, before Greeidge bowled Steve Crook and then had Monty Panesar caught on the boundary as he went for the winning hit by who else by Gidman. Gloucester’s first Championship win of the season, by just four runs with one ball to spare.
England Player Watch
Marcus Trescothick was caught up in the odd goings on at Lords, scoring 12 and a duck. His recall this summer is looking less and less likely. Paul Nixon and Geraint Jones reminded the England selectors that they are still around. However, like Chris Read last week, Matt Prior’s start to test cricket has turned it into something of an irrelevance.
Bowling wise, James Anderson looked tidy if not particularly threatening. Saj Mahmood did slightly better but is now off for a hernia operation. With the successful recall of Ryan Sidebottom, his ex-Yorkshire teammate Chris Silverwood may be looking to press his case for another go in England colours, with match figures of 9 for 62. Monty Panesar was the only current England player on duty in this round of matches, taking a couple of wickets in each innings a scoring a 102 ball 20 in the Northants first innings.
Player of the week
Ravi Bopara’s match winning knock for Essex deserves a mention. However, there can only be one winner this week. Two hundreds, a couple of wickets with his medium pace, a vital run out and the match winning catch off the penultimate ball, this week’s player of the week has to be Alex Gidman
Div 1
The only positive result in Division 1 came as Surrey were comprehensively outplayed at home to Kent. Batting first, the home team struggled to just 166, with Andrew Hall getting a 5-fer. Kent then showed how easy batting could be, declaring on 564 for 5, with Martin van Jaarsveld, Darren Stevens and even Geraint Jones getting hundred. Needing over 400 to make Kent bat again, Surrey put up a better fight with Mark Ramprakash getting yet another hundred. However, from 210 for 3 they collapsed to 319 all out and Kent move well clear of the bottom two places. Surrey and Worcester need to turn their seasons around quickly if they aren’t to disappear back from whence they came.
Two top of the table contenders met at Edgbaston, although the weather prevented either from stealing a march on the current leaders. Hampshire were dismissed for just 169 in their first innings, with Warwickshire managing 262, mainly on the back of a ton from Alex Loudon. Hants then looked as if they were struggling second time round on 85 for 4, but a ton from Nic Pothas and support from John Crawley saw them to safety.
The top two teams from last season did battle at Hove, with Lancashire opening with 330 (a ton for Stuart Law), before Murali took 5-fer as Sussex were reduced to 235. Lancs struggled second time round, before declaring on 206 for 8. However, despite another 4 wickets for Murali, there wasn’t enough time to force a result and the result leaves Lancs already 27 points adrift of Yorkshire and in seventh place.
Div 2
Bizarre happenings at Lords, where in a rain affected first day, Somerset declared on 50 for 8, possibly with the aim of depriving Middlesex of a bonus point. The home team faired better in their first innings, scoring 252. Somerset were then struggling again second time round on 50 for 5 before a James Hildreth ton took Somerset to a respectable 339 (Chris Silverwood taking 6-fer). Middlesex knocked off the 139 needed to win for the loss of just three wickets to move above Somerset to second in the table.
The leaders Nottinghamshire did their best to manufacture a result with Leicestershire. Leicester batted first and despite a 5-fer for Charlie Schrek, reached 364, Paul Nixon top scoring with 98. Notts then declared at 102 for 3 and when Leicester did the same at 114 for 3, the leaders were left chasing 377. Stumps (and the game) were drawn with both teams still interested as Notts were 14 runs away with 8 wickets down.
A ton from Gareth Rees helped Glamorgan to a first innings total of 352 against injury hit Essex, for whom Danesh Kaneria took 5-fer. Prodigy James Harris took a wicket first ball in the Essex reply as they struggled to 204 all out. Glamorgan then declared on 174 for 5, leaving Essex to chase 323 to win. They did this for the loss of 6 wickets, thanks largely to 147 not out from Ravi Bopara. Glamorgan remain rooted to the bottom of the table.
The best game of the round and maybe the season so far came as Gloucestershire played host to Northamptonshire. It was all looking comfortable for the home team as they made 394 on the back of tons for Marcus North and Alex Gidman before bowling Northants out for 223. A second ton for Gidman then set up the declaration at 244 for 8, setting Northants a target of 416 to win. At 343 for 4 and 405 for 6, with David Sales getting 99 and Lance Klusener getting a ton, a Northants win looked probable. Into the final over, bowled by Carl Greenidge and Northants needed 8 to win with three wickets in hand. However, Gidman ran out the dangerous Niall O’Brien, before Greeidge bowled Steve Crook and then had Monty Panesar caught on the boundary as he went for the winning hit by who else by Gidman. Gloucester’s first Championship win of the season, by just four runs with one ball to spare.
England Player Watch
Marcus Trescothick was caught up in the odd goings on at Lords, scoring 12 and a duck. His recall this summer is looking less and less likely. Paul Nixon and Geraint Jones reminded the England selectors that they are still around. However, like Chris Read last week, Matt Prior’s start to test cricket has turned it into something of an irrelevance.
Bowling wise, James Anderson looked tidy if not particularly threatening. Saj Mahmood did slightly better but is now off for a hernia operation. With the successful recall of Ryan Sidebottom, his ex-Yorkshire teammate Chris Silverwood may be looking to press his case for another go in England colours, with match figures of 9 for 62. Monty Panesar was the only current England player on duty in this round of matches, taking a couple of wickets in each innings a scoring a 102 ball 20 in the Northants first innings.
Player of the week
Ravi Bopara’s match winning knock for Essex deserves a mention. However, there can only be one winner this week. Two hundreds, a couple of wickets with his medium pace, a vital run out and the match winning catch off the penultimate ball, this week’s player of the week has to be Alex Gidman
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