Match preview: Gloucestershire v Surrey
27 April 2022
Gloucestershire host the visit of early-season league leaders Surrey in Division One of the County Championship with Dale Benkenstein’s side hoping to pick up their first win of the season.
The Shire go into the match off the back of a defeat away at Lancashire, a fixture that so nearly ended up in a draw albeit for Gloucestershire’s eleventh wicket falling with just 3.5 overs of the match remaining. The innings loss means Glos are currently 9th in division one with 18 points having drawn away at Northants and lost at home to Yorkshire prior to last weekend’s defeat to Lancashire.
Surrey, on the other hand, go into the match at the top of Division One with 56 points having picked up two wins and a draw in their opening three matches. Gareth Batty’s side have found themselves in fine form in the early stages of this season and have won two back-to-back matches against Hampshire and Somerset.
Gloucestershire v Surrey | All four days live on the Gloscricket Match Centre HERE | 11:00am Start Time
Despite three spirited and battling performances against Northants, Yorkshire and Lancashire so far this season, Gloucestershire are without a win and have fallen to two successive defeats.
Batters James Bracey, Marcus Harris and all-rounder Ryan Higgins have all started the season well with centuries in the first three matches and will be looking to build on their good early-season form at the Seat Unique Stadium this weekend.
Head Coach Dale Benkenstein has made a handful of changes to his squad for the Surrey match with new signing Mohammad Amir, experienced bowler David Payne and all-rounder Jack Taylor coming into the 13-man squad. The trio have replaced Zafar Gohar, Ajeet Singh Dale, who is being rested, and Jared Warner who drop out.
The Shire will also be without batter Ben Charlesworth, who has suffered a stress fracture to his foot and will be unavailable for several weeks, as well as Naseem Shah, Dom Goodman and Ollie Price, who has suffered a hand injury.
Gloucestershire’s bowling attack has been boosted by the return of David Payne, who will make his first appearance of the season following a period of illness due to Covid, and the addition of Pakistan international pace-bowler Mohammad Amir.
Dale Benkenstein has named a 13-man squad for the match against Surrey:
Surrey will be hoping batters Ryan Patel, Ben Foakes and Ollie Pope will be able to keep up their strong start to the season. All three have scored more than 200 runs during their first three appearances of 2022.
New signing and New Zealand international batter Colin de Grandhomme could be in-line to make his debut for the side having signed for Surrey on a three-match-deal this week.
All-rounder Jordan Clark has already taken 15 wickets so far this season and will be looking to add to his total at the Seat Unique Stadium, as will Reece Topley and Will Jacks, who were in the wickets during the side’s last match at home to Somerset.
Surrey squad to face Gloucestershire:
Rory Burns (c), Hashim Alma, Gus Atkinson, Jordan Clark, Sam Curran, Colin de Grandhomme, Ben Foakes, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Ryan Patel, Ollie Pope, Reece Topley, Dan Worrall, Amar Virdi.
The match will be live streamed via the Gloscricket Match Centre HERE
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