Alex Puts Spotlight On Championship Campaign
14 December 2012
Alex Gidman has been casting an eye over Gloucestershire’s fixture list for the 2013 season and providing his thoughts for this website.
In the first of a three-part series today Alex gives his views on the County Championship campaign, which kicks off, as it did last summer, with a tough trip to play Essex at Chelmsford.
Alex said: “It’s a repeat of last season as far as the first game is concerned so we have good information about what conditions to expect at the time of year.
“We lost heavily, but then were well on top at Cheltenham in the return match when it rained hard for two and a half days.
“We have had some good games against Essex in recent seasons, but with both teams fresh at the start of a new campaign, past form won’t count for much.
“In the opening game last year their experience showed through and they bowled better than us. Their batsmen were in a no-fear frame of mind whereas perhaps we went into our shells a bit.
“They outplayed us and we put in something of a rusty performance, but it had a good impact on us because we bounced back straight away to beat Hampshire.
“We know what their bowling plan will be this time around and what to expect from the pitch, which will definitely be an advantage.
“It’s important that we go into the game better prepared and if that is the case we will have every chance of a winning start.
“We then miss the second round of Championship fixtures, which is disappointing. I would prefer to play two or three games before a break.
“To play one and then have ten days off isn’t great. Whether you win or lose the opening game, you want to carry on and get into the season.
“After the break we have Northants at Bristol where we played really well against them last season, so hopefully we can reproduce that sort of performance.”
The Cheltenham Festival, starting on July 10, will feature Championship games against Kent and Worcestershire.
Alex added: “We beat Kent comprehensively at the Festival a couple of years ago so it’s a place they might not be over-keen to visit.
“We have especially enjoyed playing at Cheltenham in the last two seasons and produced some good cricket there, with the lads really coming to understand the conditions.
“Worcestershire is a local derby and, while they have been in the First Division, if you analyse the two sides man for man, we should feel confident about beating them.
“They are a skilful and competitive unit, but I believe that we have better players and would fancy facing their bowling attack on the type of wicket we get at Cheltenham.”
Gloucestershire end their Championship season with three of the last four fixtures at Bristol, with Essex, Leicestershire and Lancashire visiting the County Ground in consecutive games before a final away trip to face Glamorgan.
“That means if we can get off to a good start we can almost build towards that final period,” said Alex.
“We are confident on our own ground and, while we have lost a few games there, we have also won a good few in recent seasons.
“We know our own conditions and how to play at the County Gound so if we are in with a sniff of going up as the final weeks of the season approach there will be every chance of completing the job.”
Alex is optimistic that Gloucestershire can improve considerably on the disappointing bottom place in the Championship last summer, but declines to make firm predictions.
“One of the beauties of not being captain anymore is that, while I obviously want the team to do well, I am just aiming to score as many runs as I can and not thinking so much about our targets as a club,” he said.
“Clearly the appointment of a new skipper will have an important effect on our chances and I know the club are working really hard to get the right man.
“The aim will obviously be promotion and we have a lot of talented young players who will be a year older and wiser, so there is every reason for optimism.
“Although it is only December, I can’t wait to get started.”
