News

Housego And Muchall In 12 For Essex Game

4 April 2012

Dan Housego will make his LV County Championship debut for Gloucestershire in the opening match of the season against Essex at Chelmsford, starting on Thursday.

The winter signing from Middlesex looks set to bat at three. There is also a place in the 12-man squad for all-rounder Paul Muchall, who has just signed a two-year contract for the club following a successful trial.

Ed Young is the spin option available to skipper Alex Gidman, having returned from a winter spent with the Darren Lehmann Academy in Adelaide.

Richard Coughtrie and Chris Dent will open the batting, with vice captain Hamish Marshall expected to go in just above Alex Gidman at four and Ian Cockbain or Will Gidman occupying the number six role.

As well as Muchall, there are four other seam bowlers in the 12, Will Gidman, Ian Saxelby, David Payne and James Fuller.

Alex Gidman told this website: "It is a tough first fixture for us, but we are in confident mood following a good pre-season and will give it all that we have.

"I am not going to make predictions about the season because I want us to take one game at a time and focus no further ahead than that.

"There is always excitement over the naming of the first squad, but it is a long season and there will be parts to play for everyone at some stage.

"We will pick from 12 when we assess conditions at Chelmsford. Our first three Championship games are away, which will be tough on the pitch, but off it could give us the chance to cement what is already a great team spirit among the lads."

On the selection of Housego. Alex said: "Dan has looked a class act in pre-season. He is very disciplined and wants to bat for days on end so I'm sure he will prove a valuable addition."

Dan himself told this website: "I am hugely excited and can't wait to get going. I have got a few runs in pre-season, but the most important thing to me was spending time in the middle.

"I'm hoping to take that into the first game against Essex. I had a shoulder operation in January, which meant five or six weeks doing very little, but I have worked hard with the fitness staff here since then and I'm raring to go.

"John Bracewell has shown a lot of trust in me by saying I can bat at three and I aim to repay his faith. The main reason for moving from Middlesex was the opportunity for regular first team cricket and I intend to make the most of it.

"Outsiders will say we have a very young squad, but I feel we can use that to our advantage, We are all good in the field and I expect us to be up there challenging."

Gloucestershire (from) R.Coughtrie (wkt), C.Dent, D.Housego, H.Marshall, A.Gidman (capt), I.Cockbain, W.Gidman, E.Young, J.Fuller, I.Saxelby, D.Payne, P.Muchall.

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