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Match Preview: Klinger and Miles look ahead to Hampshire T20 visit

13 July 2015

Michael Klinger believes his side are close to becoming successful T20 unit and wants them to prove it against Hampshire at Cheltenham on Tuesday.

The skipper and leading run-maker in this season’s NatWest T20 Blast saw his side slip to a narrow three wicket defeat to Kent at the College Ground on Sunday (July 12).

But the in-form Australian -  whose innings of 75 took his run tally in ten South Group games to 653 at an average of 108.83, saw enough to convince him the team were on the right track.

He said: “It’s good that our last two group games are against Hampshire and Glamorgan, who are both in the mix to reach the knock-out stage. We have a good net run rate and if we can get two wins we might scrape in ourselves.

“We keep coming out on the wrong side of tight games. T20 is a game of fine margins and we are very nearly where we want to be.

“Our fielding was excellent against Kent and we bowled well for the majority of their innings. It is just at the death that we are falling short and I thought Mitchell Claydon and Matt Coles gave our bowlers a lesson in how to deliver the final overs.

“I hope they watched and learned because they have the last two games and the whole of the winter to work on their skills. If they do I think the team will become very competitive.

“We know Hampshire have some very dangerous batsmen so we are going to have to be on our game to beat them. It will be another great test for us.”

Craig Miles took 3-27 against Kent. To find out his thoughts on the visit of Hampshire click below

Gloucestershire Team News

Gloucestershire will be without T20 opener Hamish Marshall, who aggravated a calf injury in the defeat by Kent. Chris Dent is the most likely replacement, although Kieran Noema-Barnett, Will Tavare and Miles Hammond could also be in contention.

Squad

From: Michael Klinger (C), Ian Cockbain, Peter Handscomb, Benny Howell, Geraint Jones (Wkt), Chris Dent, Kieran Noema-Barnett, Jack Taylor, Craig Miles, Robbie Montgomery, Tom Smith, Liam Norwell, David Payne, James Fuller, Miles Hammond

Hampshire

Hampshire go into their T20 match with Gloucestershire knowing that a win will move them into the quarter final qualification places.

James Vince’s men are only outside the top four on run rate and know a victory would see them leapfrog Essex Eagles.

They beat Surrey by 29 runs on Friday night to record their first win in four games.

Three players in their squad, Vince, Michael Carberry and Owais Shah have made over 300 runs in the Blast this season while spinner Danny Briggs  - who has taken 14 wickets at 23.57 -  is arguably the biggest threat with the ball.

Squad

Michael Carberry, James Vince (C), Adam Wheater (Wkt), Jimmy Adams, Owais Shah, Joe Gatting, Will Smith, Sean Terry, Gareth Berg, Chris Wood, Yasir Arafat, Mason Crane, Danny Briggs, Jackson Bird.

Opta Facts

• Hampshire have won all five meetings between these teams.
• Hampshire’s loss against Essex in their last away game was their second in their last eight on the road.
• Will Smith took 3/26 from the four overs he has bowled against Gloucestershire.

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