Lancashire Game Key To Quarter Final Hopes
11 August 2014
Michael Klinger and his Gloucestershire team can take a huge step towards a place in the Royal London One-Day Cup quarter-finals by beating Lancashire at Bristol tomorrow (10.30am start).
Although the players suffered the disappointment of seeing Friday night’s game with Essex at Chelmsford abandoned after they had made a promising start, the one point gained strengthened their position in Group A.
It left Gloucestershire just one point behind leaders Yorkshire, who were beaten by Essex today, a result that means Klinger's men will go top of the group if they beat Lancashire.
More importantly, they opened up a two-point gap on the fifth placed team and may need only one more win from the three remaining group games to clinch a top four finish.
Hampshire, Worcestershire, Northamptonshire and Derbyshire were also playing today, with their games affected by rain.
Derbyshire beat Northants via the Duckworth-Lewis method to close to within one point of Gloucestershire, having played one more game, while Hampshire versus Worcestershire was rained off.
The no result moved Worcestershire to only a point behind Gloucestershire, but they have also played one more match.
Victory over Lancashire, who have struggled in the competition, would put Gloucestershire on nine points, one ahead of Yorkshire and Essex. The final two matches are away, to Worcestershire on Wednesday and Derbyshire on Thursday week.
Gloucestershire (from) M.Klinger (capt), H.Marshall, A Gidman, C.Dent, W.Tavare, I.Cockbain, W Gidman, B.Howell, T.Smith, G.Roderick (wkt), J Taylor, D.Payne, C.Miles.
