Dawson denies Kent game is a dead rubber
30 July 2016
Gloucestershire head coach Richard Dawson says he wants his players to maintain a competitive edge in their last two games in this season's Royal London Cup, despite qualification for the quarter finals looking to be realistically out of reach.
With a home quarter final against Durham on August 10th now secured in the Nat West T20 blast, thoughts turn to Sunday's 50 over game at Canterbury against Kent, whose chances of reaching the last eight are still very much alive.
Wednesday's defeat against a powerful Surrey team virtually put paid to Gloucestershire's hopes, and Dawson says it showed that high standards must be maintained to compete.
"Normally if we struggle we can at least keep ourselves in a game but we didn't play well at The Oval" Dawson said. "Surrey showed us how to bat and losing three wickets in the opening powerplay went a long to putting us out of it."
"At the start of the Royal London Cup we didn't play brilliantly and it showed up in the results. When we have done well the lads know eight or nine of them have contributed rather than two or three, and that's what we keep asking of them."
Squad news :
At least one change to the batting order will be created by Chris Dent's broken finger. Will Tavare and Jack Taylor are among those in contention to fill the gap, while Josh Shaw could be in line to make his List A debut for Gloucestershire after being solely involved in Championship cricket so far this summer. Former Gloucestershire all rounder Will Gidman could face his former club after joining Kent on a one month loan from Nottinghamshire.
Gloucestershire have already met Kent in the Nat West T20 blast this season - both teams winning the away fixture - while the Championship match at Canterbury was drawn after an unbroken ninth wicket stand of 53 between Jack Taylor and David Payne in Gloucestershire's second innings denied Kent victory.
"Kent are are a very good batting side" Dawson went on. "I've saw a lot of Bell Drummond as he came up through the England Under 19's and he can get them off to a good start. He has made some big scores and is highly rated. Add in Denly, Northeast, Billings and Blake and that group could take an attack apart."
"There is no such thing as a dead rubber to me and we won't be taking our foot off the gas. The focus for us is to keep progressing and playing good cricket because there is always something to learn. Matt Taylor bowled against Jason Roy and Aaron Finch on Wednesday night which was a huge education for him. Whenever you play, you are always adding something to your locker."
Coverage :
You can follow the match via the live scorecard available on the website, or via Twitter @Gloscricket.
