Dawson looks to regain winning momentum
1 August 2016
Gloucestershire play their penultimate white ball match of the summer at the Brightside Ground on Tuesday with head coach Richard Dawson wanting to see his team record a third victory of the season over Essex in limited overs cricket.
A double in the NatWest T20 Blast helped Gloucestershire qualify for the quarter finals next week, but on Tuesday it is Essex who are chasing a place at the same stage of the 50 over Royal London Cup which brought Gloucestershire so much joy in 2015.
This time they will exit the competition after the group matches and head coach Richard Dawson is clear as to why Gloucestershire won't be in the last eight.
"We haven't batted well enough this year" he said, honestly. "Last year we had people making big scores and the top six were all playing a part. If you don't get runs your back is against the wall and you're hoping the opposition makes mistakes rather than dictating the game yourself. The fundamental difference has been the volume of runs."
"The game at Kent on Sunday was a prime example. We were poor with the bat and they got to their target (201) in 42 overs but it's hard to tell what a competitive score would have been. We kept the field up because we had to and anything that beat them was going for four. If Kent had batted first we would have been setting different fields."
Squad:
With Gareth Roderick and Chris Dent still nursing finger injuries, the side will be picked from the same 13 that made the journey to Canterbury on Sunday, when Kieran Noema-Barnett and Josh Shaw were the players left out.
Klinger (c), Mustard, Cockbain, Marshall, Van Buuren, J Taylor, Howell, Noema-Barnett, Smith, Miles, Payne, M Taylor, Shaw.
The game may present another chance for Jack Taylor to show how he can have an impact in white ball cricket, having played in only six of the previous 21 games this summer across the 20 and 50 over formats.
"It's been tough for him watching but he showed good mental character to come in last Friday and get his 44 not out against Middlesex" added Dawson. "We know he can turn a game, yet when he has played in the T20 in particular the top four have often played match winning innings, and that's what has been the difference compared to the Royal London Cup."
Tuesday's game starts at the earlier than usual time of 1.30, with gates open at 11.30. It is Gloucestershire's fifth one day match in 10 days - a demanding schedule which has seen two wins and two defeats so far - but it is one head coach Richard Dawson still wants to see end on a winning note.
"I've not looked at Essex's situation at all" he said. "We have a T20 quarter final next week, so I want us to put on a performance and finish the 50 over games positively. I also know the players will want to do well both individually for themselves and for the supporters."
Coverage :
You can follow the match via the live scorecard available on the website, or via Twitter @Gloscricket.
