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 Finally, James Franklin has been replaced by fellow Kiwi Williamson, a destructive player with bags of potential.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 Gloucestershire. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gloucestershire. 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, 2 April 2008
Mystic Richard’s 2008 Predictions – Division 2
Yes I know I said that Hampshire would win Division 1, Kent would be relegated and Essex would go up last season. However, that doesn’t stop me from having another go this season. Division 1 will follow, with the predictions in reverse order.
9 Gloucestershire
Finished 7th last season and with little movement in or out, it’s difficult not to see them going backwards. Marcus North and Steve Kirby look to be their main players with bat and ball and they will be looking for success in the shorter versions of the game.
8 Leicestershire
Stuart Broad won’t be a huge loss to the Foxes as he is likely to spent the season with England rather than in county cricket. However, there is very little in the way of home grown talent and journeyman Kolpaks aplenty.
7 Northamptonshire
Another team looking to rely heavily on Kolpaks, although the ICL seems to have put paid to some of these. Another season of mediocrity beckons.
6 Glamorgan
Bottom of the pile last season, but they seem to have recruited well, with Matt Wood and Jamie Dalrymple talented players looking to kickstart their careers. Add to that the emerging talent coming out of Wales then they seem to be turning the corner. Neutrals will be hoping that this is the case as they seem to be doing a lot more to develop their homegrown talent than the Kolpakshire counties of Northants and Leicester.
5 Worcestershire
Relegated by quite some distance last season, regardless of the problems that the club had with the flooding of the New Road pitch. The signing of Simon Jones is interesting and all England fans will hope that it marks his rehabilitation. With Graeme Hick, Vikram Solanki and Ben Smith, they shouldn’t be short of runs, while Kabir Ali and Fidel Edwards should take wickets. Likely to be one of five teams challenging for promotion, but will come up short.
4 Derbyshire
An interesting off season for Derbyshire, with Rikki Clarke and Nayan Doshi both coming from Surrey and both in the last chance saloon for their respective careers. Mahela Jayawardene should score bucketloads of runs while the underrated bowling attack of Tom Lungley and Graham Wagg will take the wickets to see them in the hunt this season.
3 Warwickshire
An end of season capitulation and a resurgent Surrey saw the Bears relegated and their new recruits on the pitch don’t stir the blood as much as the off field team of Ashley Giles and Allan Donald. A season of rebuilding beckons, particularly as Tim Ambrose and Ian Bell are unlikely to be at Edgbaston much during the summer. Jon Trott and Jim Troughton will score enough runs to make them competitive. However, they will struggle to bowl teams out, even in Division 2.
2 Essex
Surely this has to be the season they go up. Ravi Bopara and James Foster will need big seasons to get them back into the international reckoning, while in Danesh Kaneria they have arguably the most dangerous bowler in the Division. The seam attack looks light, but the recruitment of David Masters looks shrewd.
1 Middlesex
The two teams promoted last season were two of the best seen in Division 2 for a while. Middlesex chased them all the way and should see their efforts better rewarded this season. Ed Joyce, Ed Smith and particularly Owais Shah form the best batting line up in the division, while they will also be looking for Billy Godleman to kick on after a promising first season. The pace attack is reliant on the veterans Chris Silverwood and Alan Richardson with Tim Murtagh giving support, although the highly rated Steve Finn will be looking to play a full season and could be a revelation. Murali Kartik and Shaun Udal provide the spin option and this team is far too good for Division 2.
9 Gloucestershire
Finished 7th last season and with little movement in or out, it’s difficult not to see them going backwards. Marcus North and Steve Kirby look to be their main players with bat and ball and they will be looking for success in the shorter versions of the game.
8 Leicestershire
Stuart Broad won’t be a huge loss to the Foxes as he is likely to spent the season with England rather than in county cricket. However, there is very little in the way of home grown talent and journeyman Kolpaks aplenty.
7 Northamptonshire
Another team looking to rely heavily on Kolpaks, although the ICL seems to have put paid to some of these. Another season of mediocrity beckons.
6 Glamorgan
Bottom of the pile last season, but they seem to have recruited well, with Matt Wood and Jamie Dalrymple talented players looking to kickstart their careers. Add to that the emerging talent coming out of Wales then they seem to be turning the corner. Neutrals will be hoping that this is the case as they seem to be doing a lot more to develop their homegrown talent than the Kolpakshire counties of Northants and Leicester.
5 Worcestershire
Relegated by quite some distance last season, regardless of the problems that the club had with the flooding of the New Road pitch. The signing of Simon Jones is interesting and all England fans will hope that it marks his rehabilitation. With Graeme Hick, Vikram Solanki and Ben Smith, they shouldn’t be short of runs, while Kabir Ali and Fidel Edwards should take wickets. Likely to be one of five teams challenging for promotion, but will come up short.
4 Derbyshire
An interesting off season for Derbyshire, with Rikki Clarke and Nayan Doshi both coming from Surrey and both in the last chance saloon for their respective careers. Mahela Jayawardene should score bucketloads of runs while the underrated bowling attack of Tom Lungley and Graham Wagg will take the wickets to see them in the hunt this season.
3 Warwickshire
An end of season capitulation and a resurgent Surrey saw the Bears relegated and their new recruits on the pitch don’t stir the blood as much as the off field team of Ashley Giles and Allan Donald. A season of rebuilding beckons, particularly as Tim Ambrose and Ian Bell are unlikely to be at Edgbaston much during the summer. Jon Trott and Jim Troughton will score enough runs to make them competitive. However, they will struggle to bowl teams out, even in Division 2.
2 Essex
Surely this has to be the season they go up. Ravi Bopara and James Foster will need big seasons to get them back into the international reckoning, while in Danesh Kaneria they have arguably the most dangerous bowler in the Division. The seam attack looks light, but the recruitment of David Masters looks shrewd.
1 Middlesex
The two teams promoted last season were two of the best seen in Division 2 for a while. Middlesex chased them all the way and should see their efforts better rewarded this season. Ed Joyce, Ed Smith and particularly Owais Shah form the best batting line up in the division, while they will also be looking for Billy Godleman to kick on after a promising first season. The pace attack is reliant on the veterans Chris Silverwood and Alan Richardson with Tim Murtagh giving support, although the highly rated Steve Finn will be looking to play a full season and could be a revelation. Murali Kartik and Shaun Udal provide the spin option and this team is far too good for Division 2.
Monday, 25 June 2007
Mystic Richard’s Half Term review – part 1
We’re at the mid term break as 20:20 cricket takes over. So the question is, where do my predictions from the beginning of the season stack up and how are the teams doing. The teams seem to be split into three groups, with the top seven in Division 1 being well ahead of the bottom two and the top four in Division 2 challenging for promotion. I’ll start with the teams at the bottom of Division 2 and work my way up.
Derbyshire
I predicted 9th and they are currently well above my expectations in 5th, despite a horrendous injury list and problems with Ian Harvey’s work permit. The batting has relied on Simon Katich while Steve Stubbings and James Pipe are also having an excellent seasons. Their highlight was at Somerset, where they reached 801 for 8 declared, which is good even for Taunton. Tom Lungley and Graham Wagg are starring with the ball, although Wayne White and Boyd Rankin (my early season tips) have done well when fit, and top the averages. They won’t challenge for promotion this year, but are putting together a strong squad for future years.
Northamptonshire
I predicted 5th and they are currently 6th and may have been higher if they’d been able to pull off an unlikely victory against Gloucester, losing by 4 runs in the last over of play. Lance Klusener and particularly David Sales have starred with the bat, as Northants also enjoyed their trip to Taunton. With the ball only Steve Crook has taken 20 wickets, and the bowling has continued to struggle. A win against Essex at the start of the season showed what could be possible. Losing by an innings in the return fixture is probably a more accurate reflection of the relative strengths.
Gloucestershire
I predicted 6th and they are currently 7th, with just the tight win against Northants to their credit. Runs haven’t been a problem with Marcus North, Grant Hodnett and Alex Gidman all passing 500 runs. Gidman’s fine form won him a call up to the England Lions team and will look to continue in the same vein to be involved in a winter tour. Bowling wise, things have been more difficult, with Alex Noffke leading the list with just 15 wickets to date. The loss of Jon Lewis to injury has been a big blow and with Craig Spearman only managing two games to date, they must be hoping for a better second half of the season.
Leicestershire
I predicted 8th and they are indeed 8th and the only winless team in the Division. Their batting problems are shown by the fact that Paul Nixon tops the averages and no-one has reached 500 runs yet. HD Ackerman, who Leicester need to score heavily is averaging only 25 and no other team has scored fewer centuries. On the bowling front Stuart Broad has been injured for much of the season, and only Nick Walker and Dave Masters have taken more than 10 wickets. Surprisingly, given their struggles, Jeremy Snape hasn’t been seen in the Championship. The county probably take 20:20 more seriously than any other and must be hoping for a boost for the second half of the season.
Glamorgan
I predicted 7th and they are 9th. However, despite being bottom, they have a great deal to be encouraged about, with the emergence of young talent such as James Harris and Gareth Rees. They have played one game less than anyone else, but must be disappointed that no-one has topped 300 runs yet, despite four players getting centuries. Having said that, only three players have played in each of their games (top of the table Somerset have had 8 ever presents). Harris leads the bowling averages and has taken 19 wickets in his 4 matches. Dean Cosker, Alex Wharf and Robert Croft are also well into double figures, while Simon Jones has only managed one game so far. It would be a surprise if they were still bottom at the end of the season.
Derbyshire
I predicted 9th and they are currently well above my expectations in 5th, despite a horrendous injury list and problems with Ian Harvey’s work permit. The batting has relied on Simon Katich while Steve Stubbings and James Pipe are also having an excellent seasons. Their highlight was at Somerset, where they reached 801 for 8 declared, which is good even for Taunton. Tom Lungley and Graham Wagg are starring with the ball, although Wayne White and Boyd Rankin (my early season tips) have done well when fit, and top the averages. They won’t challenge for promotion this year, but are putting together a strong squad for future years.
Northamptonshire
I predicted 5th and they are currently 6th and may have been higher if they’d been able to pull off an unlikely victory against Gloucester, losing by 4 runs in the last over of play. Lance Klusener and particularly David Sales have starred with the bat, as Northants also enjoyed their trip to Taunton. With the ball only Steve Crook has taken 20 wickets, and the bowling has continued to struggle. A win against Essex at the start of the season showed what could be possible. Losing by an innings in the return fixture is probably a more accurate reflection of the relative strengths.
Gloucestershire
I predicted 6th and they are currently 7th, with just the tight win against Northants to their credit. Runs haven’t been a problem with Marcus North, Grant Hodnett and Alex Gidman all passing 500 runs. Gidman’s fine form won him a call up to the England Lions team and will look to continue in the same vein to be involved in a winter tour. Bowling wise, things have been more difficult, with Alex Noffke leading the list with just 15 wickets to date. The loss of Jon Lewis to injury has been a big blow and with Craig Spearman only managing two games to date, they must be hoping for a better second half of the season.
Leicestershire
I predicted 8th and they are indeed 8th and the only winless team in the Division. Their batting problems are shown by the fact that Paul Nixon tops the averages and no-one has reached 500 runs yet. HD Ackerman, who Leicester need to score heavily is averaging only 25 and no other team has scored fewer centuries. On the bowling front Stuart Broad has been injured for much of the season, and only Nick Walker and Dave Masters have taken more than 10 wickets. Surprisingly, given their struggles, Jeremy Snape hasn’t been seen in the Championship. The county probably take 20:20 more seriously than any other and must be hoping for a boost for the second half of the season.
Glamorgan
I predicted 7th and they are 9th. However, despite being bottom, they have a great deal to be encouraged about, with the emergence of young talent such as James Harris and Gareth Rees. They have played one game less than anyone else, but must be disappointed that no-one has topped 300 runs yet, despite four players getting centuries. Having said that, only three players have played in each of their games (top of the table Somerset have had 8 ever presents). Harris leads the bowling averages and has taken 19 wickets in his 4 matches. Dean Cosker, Alex Wharf and Robert Croft are also well into double figures, while Simon Jones has only managed one game so far. It would be a surprise if they were still bottom at the end of the season.
Tuesday, 17 April 2007
Mystic Richard’s Division 2 Predictions
The curtain has been raised, Ali Cook has shown Essex what they’re going to miss this season and flush from my successful predictions for the World Cup, I’m putting my neck on the line for the County Championship. Division1 to follow, but here, in reverse order, is my prediction for Div 2.
9 Derbyshire
Mike Di Venuto was their only player to top a thousand runs last season, and he’s not coming back. There is an enormous responsibility on the shoulders of the three Aussies Ian Harvey, Simon Katich and Travis Birt to carry a weak batting line up. The bowling also looks poor with last season’s leading wicket taker, Stefan Jones, also having left. Graeme Welch will have a lot of bowling to do, but the progression of Wayne White and Boyd Rankin should also be watched with an eye on the future. Anything better than bottom should be seen as success.
8 Leicestershire
The loss of Darren Maddy will be difficult to get over, with HD Ackerman and Darren Robinson now heavily relied upon for runs. Jeremy Snape and Paul Nixon will add experience and grit to the middle order, but the bowling looks light, especially if Stuart Broad ends up playing for England for most of the summer. They did well to contend for promotion last season. This season will be a struggle.
7 Glamorgan
A season of change for Glamorgan approaches, not least with the new Sophia Gardens being built. On the pitch, rebuilding is also required and like Leicestershire, they should lose their main strike bowler, Simon Jones, to England for most of the season (if fit). Their bowling will be reliant on David Harrison and the evergreen Robert Croft. Their batting line up looks much stronger, with David Hemp, Jimmy Maher and Michael Powell all capable of big runs. However, it’s the performances of youngsters such as Ben Wright and Huw Waters that will determine the how the future will pan out.
6 Gloucestershire
The loss of Ian Harvey will be a short term blow, particularly in the One Day games, but in Hamish Marshall, Alex Gidman and Craig Spearman, Gloucester have three proven run getters to go with the all round ability of Kadeer Ali and Steve Adshead. On the bowling front, Jon Lewis will be the key man again, with the erratic Steve Kirby in support. Michael Ball’s retirement reduces the slow bowling options somewhat and they need Ian Fisher to contribute more than the meagre ten wickets he managed last season.
5 Northamptonshire
A big turn around last season with David Capel taking over from Kepler Wessels in mid season and should carry on the progression this year. A strong batting line up, with skipper David Sales, Chris Rogers, Usman Afzaal and Lance Klusner all likely to get over a thousand runs. This will also be bolstered by the signing of the Irish wicketkeeper, Niall O’Brien. Top of the bowling averages last year was Monty Panesar, but he won’t be seen much in Northampton this season. “Replacing” him is new signing Richard Dawson who will be looking to recapture the form that got him an England call up. Overall the bowling looks the weak suit, but Northants are an improving team.
4 Somerset
Bottom last year, with only Cameron White scoring over a thousand runs. This year, they will be bolstered by Justin Langer, who scored a triple hundred in one of his two games last season, and Marcus Trescothick, who will surely not be recalled in to the test team without a great deal more cricket under his belt. On the bowling side they look very strong, with the signing of Stefan Jones adding to Charll Willoughby and Andy Caddick meaning that Richard Johnson shouldn’t be missed. The top four in the division will be tight and Somerset will be challenging for promotion.
3 Middlesex
Relegated last season after falling away at the end of the summer, their bowling was hugely reliant on the previously injury prone Chris Silverwood. The return of Richard Johnson and the signing of Chaminda Vaas should take some of the pressure off Silverwood and allow the impressive batting line up to make a challenge for promotion. Andrew Strauss won’t be seen much, but Nick Compton, Ben Smith, Owais Shah and Ed Joyce will all be pushing for international recognition, as will Jamie Dalrymple as England’s second spinner.
2 Essex
On the plus side, the World Cup and the mid season ODI break means that Ali Cook will play a bit more for his county this season. However, that will be at the expense of Ravi Bopara, who has been one of the plusses for England over the winter. The loss of Darren Gough will be a blow to Essex, but with seven players getting more than 20 championship wickets last season and Andre Nel and Danesh Kaneria coming in, bowling teams out shouldn’t be a problem. Likewise, with the Flower brothers, Ronnie Irani and the hugely promising Varun Choppra and Mark Pettini and World Cup star Ryan Ten Doeschate, runs should be plentiful. It’s also a big season for James Foster, with a prospective new England coach to impress. Just short last year – they should go up this year.
1 Nottinghamshire
Champions one year relegated the next. By half a point. They should go back up comfortably as champions this year with David Hussey and Stephen Fleming scoring heavily. A return to form by Jason Gallian would also be welcome although The signing of the highly rated Will Jefferson and Bilal Shafayat will add good support. On the bowling front, they have a balanced attack, led by Ryan Sidebottom and Charlie Shreck, with the evergreen Mark Ealham and Andy Harris and spin from Graeme Swann. Like Foster at Essex, Chris Read may have another England coach to try to impress, and should spend more of the season with England than Notts.
9 Derbyshire
Mike Di Venuto was their only player to top a thousand runs last season, and he’s not coming back. There is an enormous responsibility on the shoulders of the three Aussies Ian Harvey, Simon Katich and Travis Birt to carry a weak batting line up. The bowling also looks poor with last season’s leading wicket taker, Stefan Jones, also having left. Graeme Welch will have a lot of bowling to do, but the progression of Wayne White and Boyd Rankin should also be watched with an eye on the future. Anything better than bottom should be seen as success.
8 Leicestershire
The loss of Darren Maddy will be difficult to get over, with HD Ackerman and Darren Robinson now heavily relied upon for runs. Jeremy Snape and Paul Nixon will add experience and grit to the middle order, but the bowling looks light, especially if Stuart Broad ends up playing for England for most of the summer. They did well to contend for promotion last season. This season will be a struggle.
7 Glamorgan
A season of change for Glamorgan approaches, not least with the new Sophia Gardens being built. On the pitch, rebuilding is also required and like Leicestershire, they should lose their main strike bowler, Simon Jones, to England for most of the season (if fit). Their bowling will be reliant on David Harrison and the evergreen Robert Croft. Their batting line up looks much stronger, with David Hemp, Jimmy Maher and Michael Powell all capable of big runs. However, it’s the performances of youngsters such as Ben Wright and Huw Waters that will determine the how the future will pan out.
6 Gloucestershire
The loss of Ian Harvey will be a short term blow, particularly in the One Day games, but in Hamish Marshall, Alex Gidman and Craig Spearman, Gloucester have three proven run getters to go with the all round ability of Kadeer Ali and Steve Adshead. On the bowling front, Jon Lewis will be the key man again, with the erratic Steve Kirby in support. Michael Ball’s retirement reduces the slow bowling options somewhat and they need Ian Fisher to contribute more than the meagre ten wickets he managed last season.
5 Northamptonshire
A big turn around last season with David Capel taking over from Kepler Wessels in mid season and should carry on the progression this year. A strong batting line up, with skipper David Sales, Chris Rogers, Usman Afzaal and Lance Klusner all likely to get over a thousand runs. This will also be bolstered by the signing of the Irish wicketkeeper, Niall O’Brien. Top of the bowling averages last year was Monty Panesar, but he won’t be seen much in Northampton this season. “Replacing” him is new signing Richard Dawson who will be looking to recapture the form that got him an England call up. Overall the bowling looks the weak suit, but Northants are an improving team.
4 Somerset
Bottom last year, with only Cameron White scoring over a thousand runs. This year, they will be bolstered by Justin Langer, who scored a triple hundred in one of his two games last season, and Marcus Trescothick, who will surely not be recalled in to the test team without a great deal more cricket under his belt. On the bowling side they look very strong, with the signing of Stefan Jones adding to Charll Willoughby and Andy Caddick meaning that Richard Johnson shouldn’t be missed. The top four in the division will be tight and Somerset will be challenging for promotion.
3 Middlesex
Relegated last season after falling away at the end of the summer, their bowling was hugely reliant on the previously injury prone Chris Silverwood. The return of Richard Johnson and the signing of Chaminda Vaas should take some of the pressure off Silverwood and allow the impressive batting line up to make a challenge for promotion. Andrew Strauss won’t be seen much, but Nick Compton, Ben Smith, Owais Shah and Ed Joyce will all be pushing for international recognition, as will Jamie Dalrymple as England’s second spinner.
2 Essex
On the plus side, the World Cup and the mid season ODI break means that Ali Cook will play a bit more for his county this season. However, that will be at the expense of Ravi Bopara, who has been one of the plusses for England over the winter. The loss of Darren Gough will be a blow to Essex, but with seven players getting more than 20 championship wickets last season and Andre Nel and Danesh Kaneria coming in, bowling teams out shouldn’t be a problem. Likewise, with the Flower brothers, Ronnie Irani and the hugely promising Varun Choppra and Mark Pettini and World Cup star Ryan Ten Doeschate, runs should be plentiful. It’s also a big season for James Foster, with a prospective new England coach to impress. Just short last year – they should go up this year.
1 Nottinghamshire
Champions one year relegated the next. By half a point. They should go back up comfortably as champions this year with David Hussey and Stephen Fleming scoring heavily. A return to form by Jason Gallian would also be welcome although The signing of the highly rated Will Jefferson and Bilal Shafayat will add good support. On the bowling front, they have a balanced attack, led by Ryan Sidebottom and Charlie Shreck, with the evergreen Mark Ealham and Andy Harris and spin from Graeme Swann. Like Foster at Essex, Chris Read may have another England coach to try to impress, and should spend more of the season with England than Notts.
Thursday, 22 June 2006
'Freak' or Unique?
An old favourite answers the call at Gloucestershire CCC, reports Colin Crew
For a county which has fielded such world-class stars as Mike Procter and Courtney Walsh, the impact made by overseas signings at Gloucestershire in more recent years has been disappointing to say the least. The likes of Shabbir Ahmed, Shoaib Malik and Upul Chandana have failed to live up to billing and the appearances of Nathan Bracken, James Franklin and Ramnaresh Sarwan have been so brief as to barely warrant mention. Even the rampaging Mike Hussey failed to reproduce his Northants form during his brief stint and the one notable exception, Jonty Rhodes, could not be persuaded to stay on and add to the five tons and 1,293 runs he collected during 2003.
But for five years spanning the turn of the century, Gloucestershire benefited enormously from the street smart cricket of Australian Ian Harvey and now, admittedly through accident rather than intention, they seem set to do so again during the whole of the 2006 season. Affectionately dubbed ‘The Freak’, few players without Test Match experience can ever have had such a galvanising effect on a county side, with ‘Harv’ arguably proving the most vital cog in a well-oiled one day cricketing machine which claimed no less than seven trophies in five years, ending a twenty two year wait for silverware in dramatic style.
The dual signing of Kiwi pair Hamish Marshall and Shane Bond, both available for the majority of the 2006 English domestic season, looked good enough on paper. But even the least cynical of the Nevil Road faithful would not have been rushing to the bookies to put their money on Bond being the County’s top wicket taker come September and sure enough, yet another injury prevented the New Zealand quickie taking up his post in May.
The smarter signing from the start might well have been the ever improving and previously employed Franklin, an opening bowler now boasting both a Test century and a first class double ton. But with the left armer Glamorgan-bound, into the breach has stepped the flamboyant Harvey. Originally intended to be a short term signing until the arrival of the two ‘Black Caps’, 350 runs, two hundreds and 12 cheap wickets in five games suggests that even at 34, the Victorian all-rounder should be a more than adequate replacement.
To describe Harvey as unconventional would probably not do justice to either the man or the adjective. A formidable force with both bat and ball in all forms of the game, he has also elevated the one day game into almost a science. If the occasion dictates, Harvey, the only man so far to make three hundreds in Twenty20 cricket in England, strikes the ball as cleanly and as far as almost anyone. But he also abhors the ‘dot ball’ and employing well timed sweeps and lofted drives, he manufactures at least one run off almost every delivery he faces.
The modern style of attacking one day cricket practically dictates that successful seam bowlers must be able to produce a well disguised slower ball, but Harvey has a veritable collection; off breaks, yorkers and even ‘back of the hand’ stuff. There have been few better bowlers in the ‘death’ overs in recent times, with Harvey consistently managing both wickets and economy on the biggest of stages.
Harvey’s perceived ‘defection’ to Yorkshire prior to the 2004 season was surely felt more keenly at Gloucestershire than any departure since the languid Jamaican Courtney Walsh boarded a plane to Kingston for the final time in 1998. But a few more swashbuckling centuries and productive first change spells will no doubt bring about forgiveness and as ‘Hurricane Harvey’ careered towards yet another one day century against Surrey on Sunday off just 80 deliveries, doubtless the watching Gloucestershire fans were left wishing he had never been away.
It is hard to imagine that a side containing Harvey would have surrendered its First Division status in both competitions so meekly as Gloucestershire did in 2005 and although it would be a great deal to expect for him to inspire the Glosters to such heights as they achieved during his first stay, Ian Harvey’s place in West Country cricketing folklore is already assured. Freakish only in that such all round talents belong to one man, a match winner with both bat and ball such as Harvey will be tough to replace.
For a county which has fielded such world-class stars as Mike Procter and Courtney Walsh, the impact made by overseas signings at Gloucestershire in more recent years has been disappointing to say the least. The likes of Shabbir Ahmed, Shoaib Malik and Upul Chandana have failed to live up to billing and the appearances of Nathan Bracken, James Franklin and Ramnaresh Sarwan have been so brief as to barely warrant mention. Even the rampaging Mike Hussey failed to reproduce his Northants form during his brief stint and the one notable exception, Jonty Rhodes, could not be persuaded to stay on and add to the five tons and 1,293 runs he collected during 2003.
But for five years spanning the turn of the century, Gloucestershire benefited enormously from the street smart cricket of Australian Ian Harvey and now, admittedly through accident rather than intention, they seem set to do so again during the whole of the 2006 season. Affectionately dubbed ‘The Freak’, few players without Test Match experience can ever have had such a galvanising effect on a county side, with ‘Harv’ arguably proving the most vital cog in a well-oiled one day cricketing machine which claimed no less than seven trophies in five years, ending a twenty two year wait for silverware in dramatic style.
The dual signing of Kiwi pair Hamish Marshall and Shane Bond, both available for the majority of the 2006 English domestic season, looked good enough on paper. But even the least cynical of the Nevil Road faithful would not have been rushing to the bookies to put their money on Bond being the County’s top wicket taker come September and sure enough, yet another injury prevented the New Zealand quickie taking up his post in May.
The smarter signing from the start might well have been the ever improving and previously employed Franklin, an opening bowler now boasting both a Test century and a first class double ton. But with the left armer Glamorgan-bound, into the breach has stepped the flamboyant Harvey. Originally intended to be a short term signing until the arrival of the two ‘Black Caps’, 350 runs, two hundreds and 12 cheap wickets in five games suggests that even at 34, the Victorian all-rounder should be a more than adequate replacement.
To describe Harvey as unconventional would probably not do justice to either the man or the adjective. A formidable force with both bat and ball in all forms of the game, he has also elevated the one day game into almost a science. If the occasion dictates, Harvey, the only man so far to make three hundreds in Twenty20 cricket in England, strikes the ball as cleanly and as far as almost anyone. But he also abhors the ‘dot ball’ and employing well timed sweeps and lofted drives, he manufactures at least one run off almost every delivery he faces.
The modern style of attacking one day cricket practically dictates that successful seam bowlers must be able to produce a well disguised slower ball, but Harvey has a veritable collection; off breaks, yorkers and even ‘back of the hand’ stuff. There have been few better bowlers in the ‘death’ overs in recent times, with Harvey consistently managing both wickets and economy on the biggest of stages.
Harvey’s perceived ‘defection’ to Yorkshire prior to the 2004 season was surely felt more keenly at Gloucestershire than any departure since the languid Jamaican Courtney Walsh boarded a plane to Kingston for the final time in 1998. But a few more swashbuckling centuries and productive first change spells will no doubt bring about forgiveness and as ‘Hurricane Harvey’ careered towards yet another one day century against Surrey on Sunday off just 80 deliveries, doubtless the watching Gloucestershire fans were left wishing he had never been away.
It is hard to imagine that a side containing Harvey would have surrendered its First Division status in both competitions so meekly as Gloucestershire did in 2005 and although it would be a great deal to expect for him to inspire the Glosters to such heights as they achieved during his first stay, Ian Harvey’s place in West Country cricketing folklore is already assured. Freakish only in that such all round talents belong to one man, a match winner with both bat and ball such as Harvey will be tough to replace.
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