Final countdown: Dawson looks ahead to Lord's
17 September 2015
Richard Dawson is hoping the fans will play their part in bringing the glory days back to Gloucestershire ahead of Saturday’s Royal London One-Day Cup final.
The head coach praised the army of fans who travelled to Headingley for the semi-final and is hoping for more of the same against Surrey.
He said: “I remember watching on TV Glos fans when they were winning trophies were very vocal and supportive and hopefully they can replicate that type of atmosphere.”
Looking ahead to the club’s first Lord’s final in over a decade Richard says the way the players have held their nerve in a series of close finishes could prove to be the secret to bringing home the silverware.
He said: “They (the players) can take a hell of a lot of credit for the way they’ve played throughout the tournament. We’ve come through some very close games and I think that has helped build self-belief and confidence.
“We’ve had players making match-winning contributions all the way through and that’s been a really positive thing.
“We know we’ve got improvements to make from the semi-final, with the ball at the top of the innings. With the bat we’ve just got to keep doing what we’re doing.”
Gloucestershire have lost to Surrey in all three formats this season but Richard doesn’t feel that will have a bearing on Saturday’s encounter. He also says the mix of youth and experience in the dressing room is a real strength for the side.
He said: “The positive I can take is that we played very well against Surrey in the shorter formats and got close. If we improve on that then we’ve got a chance.
“We’ve got Michael (Klinger) as captain who has won trophies in Australia and captained winning sides, he’s a very calm individual which is a massive help. Geraint (Jones) seems very relaxed at the moment and is enjoying his cricket and with Hamish (Marshall) sitting there as he does just helping the lads along we’ve got a nice blend in the changing room at the moment.”
