Jones: Players in positive mood ahead of Leicestershire clash
1 June 2014
Geraint Jones says his new teammates go into the LV County Championship game with Leicestershire in positive mood despite last week’s wash out at Derbyshire.
The weather denied Gloucestershire the chance to make it back-to-back victories following their win over Kent but the loan signing says the rain hasn’t dampened the atmosphere inside the dressing room.
He said: “The rain was frustrating at Derby but after the beating they gave Kent the week before the boys all seem in really high spirits.”
The 2005 Ashes-winning ‘keeper says that while the bad weather limited the time he spent on the pitch during his debut, it did give him a valuable opportunity to get to know his new colleagues.
He said: “The rain was bad for the game but it did mean that I got to spend a bit more time with the guys which was good. I have played against a few of them over the years - guys like Alex and Hamish so there are a few familiar faces and I’ve settled in really well. It is an enjoyable dressing room to be part of.”
Leicestershire are without a win in the County Championship this year and were beaten comprehensively by Gloucestershire home and away last season. An unbeaten second innings century from skipper Michael Klinger led his side to a nine wicket victory at Grace Road while a superb allround performance from Will Gidman (143 and match figures of 10-43) helped them thrash the Foxes by an innings and 138 runs at Bristol.
And Jones says his new team will be confident of coming away from Leicester with another win this week.
He said: “Most sides would be looking for a favourable result against them and we are no different. They have stayed fairly similar in terms of personnel over the last few seasons so we know their side pretty well. We know they are a decent side so we won’t be taking it lightly.”
Jones - who has signed for two months following injury to Gareth Roderick – says he hopes to play a major role in helping Gloucestershire move up the Division Two table.
He said: “I hope to contribute to the success of the team whether that be with the gloves or the bat. I have always measured myself in terms of the contributions I make to help win games and I hope to be able to make a positive difference while I’m here.
“I’ve not been picked in the first team at Kent at the moment so the opportunity to come and play at Gloucestershire was something I was keen to do. I am really looking forward to showing that I still have a lot to contribute at first team level.”
Jones was born in Papua New Guinea to Welsh parents and brought up in Australia but he also has strong links to Gloucestershire. In 1995 he spent a season at Lydney CC in the Forest of Dean and he maintains close links with the club – returning to hand out the awards at their end of season presentation evening in 2012.
He will also be familiar to local club cricket fans for a year spent at Clevedon CC in his early twenties.
He said: “I had a really enjoyable and successful season at Lydney in ’95 so I have really god memories of my time there. My wife Jen and her family grew up in Clevedon so we are pretty familiar with the area.”
But despite his Westcountry connections Jones insists there was never any question of him pulling on a Gloucestershire shirt prior to his loan spell.
He said: “When I first started Jack Russell was playing and he was a legend of the game so nothing was ever going to progress there. I knew Kent had an opening for a ‘keeper and so that was where the letter went off to and luckily it all worked out.”
The four-day match against Leicestershire begins on June 2. Home fans may get there first chance to see Jones in action at the Bristol County Ground in the NatWest T20 Blast match v Glamorgan on June 8.
Team from: M. Klinger, C. Dent, W. Tavare, A. Gidman, H. Marshall, G. Jones, W. Gidman, B. Howell, T. Smith, L. Norwell, M. Taylor, G. McCarter
