Grieshaber Called In To Face Glamorgan
21 June 2014
Seventeen-year-old Academy wicketkeeper Patrick Grieshaber was called up for a surprise LV=County Championship debut against Glamorgan at Bristol today.
The youngster got his chance because Cameron Herring damaged a finger in the warm-up, leaving Gloucestershire without a specialist senior wicketkeeper.
Patrick, who had been due to play club cricket for Downend, was summoned to the County Ground and Glamorgan agreed to the late switch.
Gloucestershire then had to contact the England and Wales Cricket Board to get Patrick registered for first team cricket so that he could make an unexpected debut.
Fortunately, Hamish Marshall, captaining the side in the absence of Michael Klinger, won the toss and elected to bat first, providing more time to organise the late change of keeper.
Patrick Grieshaber is a Jack Russell discovery, from Marshfield, near Bath, who has been with Gloucestershire since Under-13 level.
He hit a half-century in a recent Second XI Trophy match against Middlesex and is expected to bat at number nine against Glamorgan.
At the end of the first day's play, Patrick told this website: "I was warming up for my club game with Downend at around 11.30am when I was told there was a phone call for me.
"I thought it might be my parents. Instead it was Owen Dawkins to tell me that Cameron was injured and I was needed for the first team.
"I was a bit nervous driving to the ground. But the other players have been great and I'm looking forward to the challenge ahead.
"Jack Russell spotted me playing for Marshfield when I was 12 or 13. He has helped me a lot over the years and I couldn't have a better person to learn from."
Michael Klinger was ruled out of the Glamorgan game and faces an x-ray on a damaged toe, sustained when he was struck by a full ball from Hampshire left-arm spinner Danny Briggs during the NatWest T20 Blast game at Southampton yesterday evening.
It is not yet known how long the skipper will be out, but Cameron Herring could face a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Director of Cricket John Bracewell told this website: "Cameron has a suspected broken finger. He has gone for an x-ray."
