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Match Preview: Norwell hoping to make it three in a row against Glamorgan

5 August 2015

Liam Norwell wants to help his side make it three Championship wins in a row for the first time in his career when they take on Glamorgan this week.

The fast bowler has enjoyed a breakthrough season – leading the county’s wicket taking charts with 48 going into the game at Swansea.

And he puts his success down to taking a more simplified game plan this year.

He said: “I have just tried to be more basic in my approach. I’ve probably tried to over complicate things in the last few years. But I worked hard with Thorbs (Gloucestershire bowling coach Mark Thorburn) during the winter and we went back to the fact that it doesn’t need to be any more complex than trying to hit the top of off as many times as possible. I think the success has spoken for itself.”

For the full interview click below

Liam, who hails from Cornwall, took a career-best 6-33 and 10-65 in the match against Essex at Chelmsford earlier this season and has also recorded two other five wicket hauls in 2015.

Only five bowlers have taken more Division Two wickets this year and Liam says another reason he has flourished has been down to the form of fellow seamers Craig Miles, James Fuller, David Payne, Matt Taylor and Benny Howell.

He said: “I’ve got so many wickets off the back of great spells from the other guys.

“When you’re hunting as a pack and all going for the same goal you create pressure from both ends and you know that wickets will come.

“We worked out that we bowl well when we talk to each other so we have tried to position ourselves so we field next to each other. It’s definitely the most successful year we’ve had as a bowling group. I think the sky’s the limit if we can stay together.”

Glamorgan are currently third in the LV = County Championship, two places and 28 points ahead of Gloucestershire. They were unbeaten in their first nine games but have suffered back-to-back defeats going into the match.

Despite their recent slump Liam says he is anticipating a tight contest.

He said: “They will be a tough proposition, especially at Swansea as they know how to play there.

“They are a very strong batting unit with the international experience of (Jacques) Rudolph and (Colin) Ingram up top. They also have quality bowlers like (Graham) Wagg and (Michael) Hogan.

“We will be focusing on our own game and hoping to get a third successive win which is something I have never done with Gloucestershire and would be great to do.”

Team News

Gloucestershire are likely to be without Michael Klinger after he picked up a hamstring injury in the Royal London One-Day Cup win over Durham.

With Ian Cockbain (wrist) and Hamish Marshall (calf) both still missing Geraint Jones is likely to resume the captaincy a month after stepping down.

Off spinning allrounder Miles Hammond – who recently made an incredible unbeaten 190 from 263 for the 2nd XI v MCC Young Cricketers in a one-day game – is included in the four-day squad for the first time this season.

Glamorgan have also picked a young off spinner who is yet to play in the first team this season in Kieran Bull. The university student joins Andrew Salter as the Welsh side's slow bowling options at the expense of Dean Cosker.

Aneurin Donald returns to the squad before captaining England Under 19 v Australia.

Speaking to the official Glamorgan website he said: "It is usually a result wicket down here and the match against Gloucestershire is another big game for us. There's usually a good chance for our spinners later on in the game and Swansea has always been a pretty good hunting ground for us over the years."

Gloucestershire Squad:

Jones (c), Dent, Tavare, Roderick (w), Howell, Hammond, Noema-Barnett, J Taylor, Fuller, Smith, Miles, Norwell, Payne

Glamorgan Squad: Jacques Rudolph (c), Will Bragg, Colin Ingram, Chris Cooke, Aneurin Donald, David Lloyd, Graham Wagg, Craig Meschede, Mark Wallace (w), Andrew Salter, Dean Cosker, Michael Hogan, Kieran Bull

Key Man

With 693 runs at 43.50 and 33 wickets Graham Wagg is a threat with bat and ball.

His 200 against Surrey at Guildford was the joint highest ever score by a number eight in English domestic First Class cricket.

That innings came off 215 balls with 21 fours and a Glamorgan record 11 sixes.

The left arm seamer is also on course for his best season with the ball since joining the Welsh county, needing just nine more wickets to beat his previous highest.

Opta Facts

• Having previously been unbeaten in eight matches (W4 D4), Glamorgan have since found themselves without a win in three games (D1 L2).
• Gloucestershire have only won once in their last 18 attempts against the Welsh side (D9 L8).
• Glamorgan are unbeaten in nine home games versus Gloucestershire (W4 D5).
• Glamorgan’s Graham Wagg has struck more sixes than any other player this season in Division Two (27).
• Benny Howell recorded his first ever first class century in Gloucestershire’s last game (v Leicestershire).

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