Glos to return to South Africa for red-ball training camp in March
14 February 2025
Mark Alleyne and a selection of Gloucestershire players and coaches will return to Stellenbosch, South Africa, for their second consecutive pre-season tour, running from Monday 10 to Friday 20 March.
The squad will utilise the world-class facilities at the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport (SAS) and Paul Roos Gimnasium in preparation for the upcoming Rothesay County Championship season which begins on Friday 4 April away to Derbyshire.
The tour will feature a red-ball practice match against Northamptonshire on March 13 and 14, followed by a clash with Durham University on March 16 and 17. Either side of the two-day matches will be net practice at Paul Roos, where bowlers can operate with full-length grass run-ups.
The tour allows Gloucestershire’s squad and coaching staff to benefit from uninterrupted preparations away from the unpredictable UK weather. Fielding and gym-based training sessions will also feature as players look to fine-tune their skills ahead of the 2025 season.
Tour match schedule
| Date | Opposition | Format | Location |
| 13/14 March | Northamptonshire | Red-ball | Paul Roos Gimnasium |
| 16/17 March | Durham University | Red-ball | Paul Roos Gimnasium |
Speaking on the importance of a pre-season tour, Head Coach Mark Alleyne said:
"As an integral part of our preparation for the season, we will be heading to Stellenbosch to consolidate our developments and progressions over the winter months.
"It is also a great chance to ramp up the intensity after a varied winter schedule. Living and breathing the game consistently for 10 days affords us the time to strengthen and reinforce strategies and offers the players absolute clarity over their roles for the coming season.
"This tour is specific to our Championship challenge as the first seven weeks of the season is just that.
"Even though a lot of players have been exposed to cricket in our off-season, I couldn’t stress enough how important Stellenbosch is in terms of reigniting the Gloucestershire push for success in the English domestic season.
"The support team is essential to our performance so a brilliant opportunity again for them to reestablish some relationships and set new standards.
"Not to be ignored, is the social cohesion of the group. This is exaggerated on a tour like this and is brilliant for emphasising a shared purpose."
Players will be accommodated at SAS, a premier high-performance training facility that has hosted top teams such as England Rugby and Saracens.
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