County Championship Preview | Gloucestershire v Glamorgan
19 July 2023
Gloucestershire play the first game of the historic Cheltenham Cricket Festival this Thursday as Welsh county Glamorgan become the first of five sides to face Gloucestershire in the 2023 festival.
Gloucestershire start the match looking for the first win of their red-ball season after both weather and injuries severely impacted the first half of the campaign.
The 2023 Cheltenham Cricket Festival starts on Thursday!
Team news
Dale Benkenstein selects a thirteen-player squad for the Severnside derby, making three changes to the squad that made the trip to Durham a fortnight ago.
Zaman Akhter and Jack Taylor drop out of the squad, while Grant Roelofsen has returned to South Africa following a successful spell with the Shire.
Luke Charlesworth and Joe Phillips join the group for the Cheltenham College fixture and could make debuts for the Club, while Tom Price returns after lower back stiffness ruled him out of the Durham fixture.
Your 13-player Gloucestershire squad to face Glamorgan:
James Bracey*, Luke Charlesworth, Ben Charlesworth, Chris Dent, Zafar Gohar, Dom Goodman, Miles Hammond, Joe Phillips, Ollie Price, Tom Price, Josh Shaw, Matt Taylor, Paul van Meekeren.
Last time out
Gloucestershire suffered defeat against league leaders Durham last time out despite a successful return to first-team action for Dom Goodman who took four wickets in the first innings.
Despite a promising first day at the Seat Unique Riverside where Glos raced to 280/6 thanks to half-centuries from Chris Dent and Miles Hammond, Glos conceded a first innings lead of 137.
A fantastic opening spell by England bowler Matthew Potts left Glos 24/4 with a mountain to climb, Durham eventually winning by nine wickets.
Our opponents
Glamorgan have one win to their name in this season’s County Championship, a ten-wicket win against fellow Cheltenham Festival Glos opponents Worcestershire.
Eight draws and one win mean Glamorgan remain unbeaten in fourth place in Division Two, 13 points off a promotion spot.
Colin Ingram returns to the Glamorgan squad for the Cheltenham clash, as experienced seamer Michael Neser links up with the Australia squad for the fourth Ashes Test at Old Trafford.
The Glamorgan squad to face Gloucestershire:
David Lloyd*, Kiran Carlson, Chris Cooke, Andy Gorvin, James Harris, Colin Ingram, Jamie McIlroy, Sam Northeast, Billy Root, Prem Sisodiya, Michael Swepson, Timm van der Gugten, Zain ul-Hassan.
Last meeting
Gloucestershire last faced Durham in the opening round of Championship fixtures, where persistent rain delays halted Shire’s chances of an opening fixture victory.
Second innings hundreds from Marcus Harris and Graeme van Buuren helped set Glamorgan a victory target of 331. The Cardiff side were 110/3 when rain stopped play.
Six wickets in the match ensured Tom Price started the season in superb form with the ball, his return to the squad this time round signalling a return to match fitness.
How to watch
Gloucestershire face Glamorgan in the County Championship beginning on Thursday 20 July at 11am at Cheltenham College, Cheltenham.
If you can’t make it in person to support the Shire at the Cheltenham Cricket Festival, the game can be watched live in the Glos Cricket Match Centre. Coverage begins at 10:40.
