Two unchanged teams will meet at Bristol tomorrow, which was always likely to be the case at this early stage of the season.
If you pick a team for the first game and then change it, the inference is that you got the selection wrong initially, so few counties will tinker with their sides until the current players have had at least one more opportunity.
Our hosts tomorrow have some good players and others with reputations to build, a little like us. They will give us a good test of both ability and of mental strength after the loss to Lancashire and it will be fascinating to follow the game over the next few days.
The Gloucestershire squad:
Will Tavaré
Chris Dent
Gareth Roderick (wkt)
Hamish Marshall
Geraint Jones (capt)
Kieran Noema-Barnett
Peter Handscomb
James Fuller
Matt Taylor
Liam Norwell
David Payne
Tom Smith
Craig Miles
Tavare and Dent are a good opening pair, while former England and Kent wicket-keeper Geraint Jones is a new recruit and playing as a batsman. Noema-Barnett is in from New Zealand on a British passport, while Aussie Peter Handscomb is on a similar deal. Their batting is, I think, a stronger suit but Derbyshire will need to sustain their focus for four days and twelve sessions, assuming the weather doesn't interfere too much.
I expect the same side to take the field for us, namely:
Slater
Godleman
Guptill
Madsen
Durston
Thakor
Hughes
Hosein
Palladino
Taylor
Footitt
We are a good enough team to bounce back from the Lancashire defeat and win this one. I still expect us to mount a promotion challenge this year and winning this is a good way to start.
If the weather allows it, my tip is smiley faces all round by Wednesday.
I fancy Gloucestershire to edge this one but the weather will probably hold sway. The omission of Wayne White is a grave error - Shiv and Hughes are much overrated and remain unproven. I hope they prove me wrong.
ReplyDeleteGloucestershire struggled last season,however,I would be surprised if they don,t improve this time around.In saying that,this is a match that looks winnable to me,assuming we eradicate the self inflicted errors which bedevilled the previous match.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn,t contemplate many changes for the time being,with the possible exception of Wainwright,should conditions favour him.
We have to excercise caution when talking about players doing this,that and the other in the second team.The standard is vastly inferior and we have seen players in the past who have consistently done well at a lower level but have failed to make the step-up.Mr Borrington to name but one.Those currently in the side must be given a fair crack of the whip.