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PREVIEW : Opportunity beckons after Perera's depature - Klinger

10 August 2017

Gloucestershire's T20 captain Michael Klinger believes the loss of Sri Lankan all rounder Thisara Perera may change the balance but not the strength of the team for the remaining matches in the group stages of the Nat West T20 Blast.

Gloucestershire return to action against Sussex at Hove on Friday (7.00pm) with Perera having been recalled by his country to play in the one day home series against India, which starts on August 20th.

"We knew there was a chance Thisara might miss our last couple of games but Sri Lanka have called him back early to play in some warm up matches, so he didn't have any choice in the matter" Klinger said.

"He's been really good while he's been here. He fitted well into the group well, he always had a smile on his face and as a captain I knew I could rely on him if I threw him the ball. Now it's time for one of our other boys to step into that role."

Gloucestershire's options in terms of replacing Perera's overs at Hove come in the form of former Sussex seamer Chris Liddle, Craig Miles - who Klinger confirmed has bowled well in some second XI T20 matches - and, depending on how dry the pitch is, spinner Graeme van Buuren. Cameron Bancroft's re-registration with the ECB should be completed in time for him to return to the squad as the second overseas player.

Squad :

Klinger (c), Mustard, Cockbain, Bancroft, Hankins, Roderick, Howell, J. Taylor, Noema-Barnett, van Buuren, Smith, Payne, Liddle, Miles, M.Taylor.

The South Group remains tight and Klinger believes teams will need a minimum of 16 points to make the quarter finals. Sussex are by no means out of it and in Joffra Archer they have a man who has 49 wickets in Division 2 of the Championship, more than any other bowler.

"There is no doubt he is a good talent" Klinger added. "Sussex's bowling coach Jon Lewis has done a lot with him and he must take the credit for that. He has all the skills and hits the ball hard with the bat too so I would say England need to get him qualified for them sooner rather than later!"

"We need to play well in these last four matches. So far we have either won or lost games in clumps and if we are to qualify for the quarter finals we want to do it sooner rather than later and not leave it until the last game. We've won the last two we've played and we want to maintain that run on Friday and then again on Sunday against Essex. Without Perera the balance of the side will be closer to what we had at the start of the competition. It means we can't bat as deep as before but we'll manage."

Coverage :

You can follow the match via the live scorecard available on the website, or via Twitter @GlosCricket

The final home match in the South Group is our designated Family Day on Sunday August 13th when Essex are our opponents (2.30pm). Click here to book tickets

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