Match Preview | Derbyshire v Gloucestershire | LV= Insurance County Championship
10 May 2023
Gloucestershire travel to the midlands to face Derbyshire in pursuit of their first win of the LV= Insurance County Championship Division Two season.
The Shire’s season so far has been largely affected by rain with matches at Glamorgan, Worcestershire and the home match vs Sussex, all resulting in a draw with more than one day in each fixture being lost to the impacts of a wetter than average April. One match, Gloucestershire vs Yorkshire in Bristol, was abandoned without a ball being bowled due to the conditions.
Last time out vs Sussex, Dale Benkenstein’s side secured a hard-fought draw despite failing to avoid following-on against the visitors. A gutsy 87* for Miles Hammond in the first innings and a determined fifth wicket stand between Graeme van Buuren and Ollie Price in the second innings proved to be enough to rescue the game for The Shire.
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Team news
Dale Benkenstein makes one change to the Gloucestershire squad with Josh Shaw replacing Ollie Price in the squad of thirteen. Having made a positive start to the season, Ollie Price misses out only due to university exam commitments.
Matt Taylor has recently returned to full fitness and could play his first four-day game since the Cheltenham Cricket Festival last summer. Taylor's left-arm seam gives Benkenstein the option to further vary the Gloucestershire bowling attack.
Marcus Harris and Chris Dent look set to resume their roles at the top of the Gloucestershire batting order while Miles Hammond and skipper Graeme van Buuren will look to continue their run of good form.
Continuity elsewhere in the squad remains as regulars James Bracey, Marchant de Lange, Jack Taylor, Ajeet Singh Dale, Zafar Gohar, Tom Price and Ben Charlesworth all keep their place in the travelling squad.
Derbyshire vs Gloucestershire | LV= Insurance County Championship Division Two | Watch every ball on the Glos Cricket Match Centre HERE | 11:00am Start Time
Our opponents
Derbyshire are without a win in four matches so far this season with two draws and two loses. In their most recent fixture last weekend, Derbyshire were held to a home draw vs local rivals Leicestershire.
Batters Jacobus Leus du Plooy, who scored 94 last time out vs Leicestershire, and Will Masden, who has racked up 272 runs so far this season at an average of 45.33, are the dangermen for Gloucestershire’s bowlers to keep tabs on.
Your 13-man Gloucestershire squad to face Derbyshire
