Interview With New Signing Adam Rouse
23 June 2014
Adam Rouse has been speaking to this website about joining Gloucestershire as a wicketkeeper-batsman.
After impressing in recent second XI games against Gloucestershire, Adam (21) has accepted a one-month trial to cover for the injured Gareth Roderick and Cameron Herring and will share the first team duties with Patrick Grieshaber.
Previously, Adam has played for England Under-19s and was on a development contract with Hampshire. He scored an excellent match-winning hundred against Gloucestershire Second XI earlier this season for Surrey.
Zimbabwe-born Adam, who has also had a trial with Kent since being released by Hampshire last season, is expected to make his Gloucestershire debut in Thursday evening's NatWest T20 against Middlesex at Lord’s.
He told this website: "It's a great opportunity for me. I got a phone call over the weekend after Cameron had suffered his injury, so things have been a bit of a rush, but very exciting.
"I've been told that Patrick and I will share the wicketkeeping duties so it's pretty much head-to-head between us over the coming weeks and we'll have to see how things go.
"I came through the junior age groups at Hampshire after coming to England as a ten-year-old and was contracted there for three years before being released last year.
"Since then I have been around a few clubs and did well for Surrey at Bristol this season, getting an eighty in the Second XI Championship game and a hundred in the one-day game that followed.
"I also played against Gloucestershire for Kent more recently so the club have seen a bit of me. It's a case of being in the right place at the right time and hopefully I can make the most of it."
Adam, who lives at Basingstoke, has been batting as high as three in Second XI Championship cricket and opening in the one-day formats, so he hopes to be able to contribute runs and well as his wicketkeeping skills over the next month.
"There is a lot of cricket coming up and I just want to get my head down and work as hard as possible for the team," he said.
"I'd love to think there is a future for me at Gloucestershire. But if when Cameron and Gareth Roderick come back there is no space for me, I want to have done well enough to attract another county.
"I played for England Under-19s when I was a year younger than that age group when the Sri Lankan's toured here and that was a great experience.
"I am still young and hopefully have a lot to look forward to in my career."
Director of Cricket John Bracewell told this website: "We have been impressed by Adam when he played against us and believe he can help us through the time that Cameron Herring and Gareth Roderick are out of action.
"I knew Patrick Grieshaber was a good keeper before the current game with Glamorgan and he has proved it, but it is not realistic to expect him to play in all the games over the next month."
