Match Preview: Glos unchanged for Derbyshire visit
24 April 2015
Gloucestershire have named an unchanged squad ahead of their first LV= County Championship home game of the season vs Derbyshire which starts this Sunday (April 26).
Head coach Richard Dawson said there were plenty of positives to take out of the draw with Northants in their opening match, including a career best 6-63 for Craig Miles in the first innings and 104* for Chris Dent (pictured) in the second.
Richard said: “We created quite a lot of chances with the ball and from a batting point of view Denty (Chris Dent) and Tav (Will Tavaré) had two good opening partnerships (85 and 137) and Joner (Geraint Jones) and Foz (James Fuller) batting well to get us to nearly 300 was also positive.
“We outplayed them for periods and they outplayed us at times so it was a pretty even game.”
Looking ahead to the Derbyshire match Richard said the side will be looking to improve their consistency.
He said: “It’s about taking the good sections of the last match and being able to put them together.
“I think Derbyshire are similar to us in a way with a mix of experience and youth. I know Graham Welch (elite cricket performance director) has got a good atmosphere going there so they are coming from a good place.
“We’ve had a look at the footage of their match against Lancashire but we are focusing on what we do rather than worry too much about them.”
Despite naming an unchanged squad Richard said he has been pleased to see players putting pressure on first team places through their performances in the Second XI. Ian Cockbain and Jack Taylor hit centuries in this week’s win over Yorkshire while David Payne took 6-32. This follows on from Tom Smith’s 280 against Durham 2nd XI.
Gloucestershire Squad to face Derbyshire
4. Will Tavaré
15. Chris Dent
27. Gareth Roderick (wkt)
9. Hamish Marshall
8. Geraint Jones (capt)
11. Kieran Noema-Barnett
54. Peter Handscomb
26. James Fuller
36. Matt Taylor
24. Liam Norwell
14. David Payne
6. Tom Smith
34. Craig Miles
Gloucestershire v Derbyshire - Opta Facts
• The last eight Championship clashes between these teams have produced three wins apiece and two draws.
• Gloucestershire have lost one of their last nine against Derbyshire at Bristol (won four, drawn four).
• Tom Taylor recorded first-class career-best figures of 6-61 in Derbyshire’s match against Lancashire.
• Gareth Roderick (main pic) has reached 50 in six of his last 10 Championship innings.
• Roderick took six catches in Northamptonshire’s first innings, the seventh instance of a Gloucestershire keeper taking six or more catches in a first-class innings.
Derbyshire Scouting Report
Despite suffering a 250 run defeat to Lancashire in their opening match, hopes are high of a promotion push at Derbyshire following their fourth placed finish last year.
Graham Welch has established a promising squad with a mixture of youngsters and experienced players including New Zealand World Cup star Martin Guptill (pictured), captain Wayne Madsen and paceman Mark Footitt.
All three are expected to be in the squad to face Gloucestershire at the Bristol County Ground in the match starting on April 26.
Squad:
1. Billy Godleman
26. Ben Slater
31. Martin Guptill
77. Wayne Madsen
3. Wes Durston
22. Chesney Hughes
57. Shiv Thakor
18. Alex Hughes
16. Harvey Hosein
15. Tom Taylor
36. Ben Cotton
28. Tony Palladino
4. Mark Footitt
Last Time Out:
LV County Championship Division 2
Derbyshire v Lancashire at the County Ground, Derby
Lancashire 293 (Peterson 115) and 345 (Prince 97) (Taylor 6-61)
Derbyshire 274 (Durston 85) and 114 (Jarvis 5-13)
Lancashire won by 250 runs
Lancashire 21 points Derbyshire 4 points
For the full scorecard click here.
Key men
Mark Footitt
The 29-year-old left-arm paceman was the country’s leading wicket-taker last year racking up a tally of 84 wickets in first-class cricket at an average of 19.19, including six five-wicket hauls.
The New Zealand international will be hoping to replicate his record-breaking World Cup form in the LV County Championship. The 28-year-old was the leading runscorer in this year’s competition scoring 547 runs at an average of 68.37 and a top score of 237 not out.
What they say…
Speaking to the Derbyshire CCC website after the defeat to Lancashire, skipper Wayne Madsen said: “We’ve got a lot more to give as a team, we know that, we just have to get back on the horse and show what we can do.
“Lancashire are a good side and there is a long way to go in the season but it's not a good feeling to lose your first game.
“We have to learn to take the chances we have, which is what we will need to do to be successful against Gloucestershire.”
Last season…
2014
May 25-28
LV County Championship Division Two, County Ground, Derby
Derbyshire 278 (Elstone 63) (Howell (pictured) 4-60, Will Gidman 4-50)
Gloucestershire 66-4
July 14-17
LV County Championship Division Two, College Ground, Cheltenham
Gloucestershire 356 (Tavare 135, W Gidman 125) (Tom Taylor 5-58) and 219 (Marshall 71)
Derbyshire 372 (Madsen 80, Chanderpaul 73) (Howell 4-68) and 204-4 (Chanderpaul 52 not out)
Tickets
Tickets are £15 in advance or £18 on the day, £10 or £13 for concessions and £3 or £5 for 18 and unders.
For visitor information and tickets click here
Please note each day’s play begins at 11am.
