Match Preview: Klinger in as Dawson rings changes for Derbyshire clash
29 May 2015
Richard Dawson has made four changes to the squad for Gloucestershire’s LV County Championship Division Two clash with Derbyshire which starts this Sunday.
After making a club record 126 not out in the NatWest T20 Blast v Essex last week Australian Michael Klinger is set to make his first Championship appearance of the season, replacing fellow countryman Peter Handscomb.
Allrounders Jack Taylor and Benny Howell (pictured) are also rewarded for helping Glos to the top of the Blast South Division as they feature in the Championship squad for the first time this year.
Kieran Noema-Barnett and Tom Smith make way, along with Ian Cockbain who is replaced by the fit again Will Tavaré.
Richard Dawson said: “Jack and Benny have been performing well in second team cricket and deserve their opportunity. The thing that we asked at the start of the season was for the second team to put pressure on the first team squad and they’ve done that. Ian Cockbain, Jack, Benny, Tom Smith and a number of others have all done that and that’s a good thing from a squad perspective.”
“Michael obviously brings experience to the team and is coming off the back of a very successful Sheffield Shield competition where he scored heavily. He’s not just an experienced head but a highly skilled batsman and it’s good to have him back.”
Gloucestershire are currently fifth in the Division Two table and won their last two away matches before losing to Kent by eight wickets at the Bristol County Ground last time out.
Richard said: “Kent played well, we probably didn’t play as consistently as we did in the previous matches and made a few errors with the bat.
“We won’t change the way we go about things for Derbyshire. They are a decent side and played very well down here. They have some good players like (Mark) Foottit and some good youngsters but it is more about us focusing on our own game. If we do that we will be in a decent place.”
To listen to a full interview with Richard click below.
Gloucestershire Squad to face Derbyshire
(15) Chris Dent, (4) Will Tavaré, (2) Michael Klinger, (27) Gareth Roderick (wkt), (9) Hamish Marshall, (8) Geraint Jones (wkt), (13) Benny Howell, (10) Jack Taylor, (14) David Payne, (36) Matt Taylor, (24) Liam Norwell, (34) Craig Miles.
Derbyshire v Gloucestershire Opta Stats
- The last 14 Derbyshire v Gloucestershire fixtures at Derby have produced three wins apiece and eight draws.
- Billy Godleman has reached 50 in seven of his last 17 innings, after failing to do so in his preceding 18 knocks.
- Mark Footitt (103) is the only player with 100 Championship wickets since the start of last season.
- Footitt took 9/166 in the match between these teams earlier this season, a fixture Derbyshire won by seven wickets.
Derbyshire Scouting Report
Derbyshire’s seven wicket win over Gloucestershire earlier this season remains their only victory in the Championship so far.
Martin Guptill made a stunning 227 in the first innings to set up the win but the good news for Glos fans is that he is playing for New Zealand against England instead.
The bad news is that his replacement, South African Hashim Amla, has an even better record.
Derbyshire currently sit in seventh place, seven points behind Gloucestershire after losing to Lancashire by an innings and 15 runs last time out. They are currently without captain Wayne Madsen through injury with Billy Godleman again set to deputise.
Derbyshire Squad (possible)
(26) Ben Slater, (1) Billy Godleman (capt), (22) Chesney Hughes, (99) Hashim Amla, (57) Shiv Thakor, (10) Scott Elstone, (16) Harvey Hosein, (21) David Wainwright, (28)Tony Palladino, (15)Tom Taylor, (36) Ben Cotton, (4) Mark Footitt, (20) Matt Critchley.
Last Time Out:
LV= County Championship Division Two, Southport
Derbyshire 370 (Godleman 75) (Jarvis 4-132) and 166 (Slater 58) (Lilley 5-23)
Lancashire 551 Prince 230 (Taylor 4-113)
Lancashire won by an innings and 15 runs
Derbyshire 6 pts, Lancashire 24 pts
Key men
Hashim Amla
The South African is only available for two Championship games after signing on a short term deal as a replacement for Martin Guptill.
He made 69 in his first match against Lancashire and will face Gloucestershire in his only other appearance.
With more than 6, 500 Test runs at an average of over 52 he is a player of the very highest international pedigree.
Mark Footitt
We picked the pacey left armer out as one-to-watch ahead of our first match with Derbyshire and he duly lived up to expectation taking nine wickets in the match.
He was the country’s leading wicket-taker last year with 84 wickets at an average of 19 and has been strongly tipped for an England call-up.
What they say…
Speaking to the BBC after his side’s defeat to Lancashire, Derbyshire performance director Graeme Welch said his batsman struggled against Lancashire spinners Simon Kerrigan and Arron Lilley on a turning pitch at Southport.
He said: “If we'd have scored another 70 or 80 in the first innings, we'd have been bowling last on that pitch and you never know.
“It was always going to be difficult on the final day. It was a worn pitch and they had two quality spinners in Simon Kerrigan and Arron Lilley, who both came to the party.
“It just showed how difficult it was to play out there when one of the best batsmen in the world (Hashim Amla) is struggling with the spin and bounce.”
Last time we met…
2015
April 26-29
LV= County Championship Division Two, Bristol County Ground
Gloucestershire 275 (Tavaré 48) (Footitt 3-72) and 411 (Marshall 79) (Footit 6-94)
Derbyshire 545-9 dec (Guptill 227) (M Taylor 5-93) and 142-3 (Godleman 51) (Fuller 2-51)
Derbyshire won by 7 wickets
