Match Preview: Tavaré backs bowlers to lead Glos to victory over Leicestershire
14 July 2015
Will Tavaré has backed Gloucestershire’s bowlers to make it two wins in the LV=County Championship in a row when they take on Leicestershire at Cheltenham.
The attack of Craig Miles, James Fuller, Liam Norwell, Benny Howell and Jack Taylor bowled Northants out twice to complete a nine wicket victory in just two days last time out.
The opener says if the top order can improve their performances then a second win at the Cheltenham Festival is on the cards.
To listen to the full interview click below
He said: “It would be nice to get two in two at Cheltenham in the four dayers.
“The batters want to step up at the top of the order and if Jack (Taylor) and Benny (Howell) can come in and do what they did against Northants and the boys can do what they’ve been doing all season with the ball we should put in a good performance.”
Will – who has scored 529 runs at 33 going into the match – says the resignation of Geraint Jones as captain prior to the Northants game hasn’t affected players and they have taken it in their stride.
He said: “I don’t think we took it any differently. Joner (Geraint Jones) was still around, running drinks out and Coey (Ian Cockbain) is a very relaxed captain so it was quite easy really.”
Ahead of the Leicestershire match Will reserved special praise for the Gloucestershire seam attack. Both Liam Norwll and Craig Miles have now taken over 40 wickets for the season and Will believes the sky is the limit for the young bowling unit.
He said: “The thing that’s very impressive is they are threatening even on flat wickets.
“They’ve been around for a few years and are starting to know their games well and the great thing is they are still young so they could go anywhere.
“If the batters can do what we know we can do then we are in a great place as a squad.”
Team News:
Gloucestershire squad: Tavare, Dent, Klinger, Cockbain (capt), Roderick (w/k), Howell, Noema-Barnett, J Taylor, Fuller, Miles, Norwell, Smith, Hampton
Leicestershire squad: Cosgrove (capt), Hill (w/k), Ali, Boyce, Eckersley, Freckingham, McKay, Naik, Raine, Robson, Sayer, Shreck, Smith.
Opta Facts
- Gloucestershire are unbeaten in four meetings with Leicestershire in the longer format, winning three in a row before a draw in this fixture in 2014.
- Leicestershire have not won away at Gloucestershire since 2006, drawing four and losing four since then. The four defeats in this run have come by an innings, 10 wickets (twice) and 9 wickets.
- Leicestershire have only won one of their last 42 County Championship matches, though that was on the road against Essex in May 2015.
- The two players to be bowled most often in the Championship this year both represent Leicestershire (Eckersley 10, Robson 9).
