PREVIEW : We need to go on a run - Dawson
2 August 2017
Head coach Richard Dawson says results rather than rain are now essential if Gloucestershire are to qualify for the quarter finals of the NatWest T20 Blast.
After losing to Hampshire on the DLS method and seeing the game at Essex abandoned Gloucestershire head to Cardiff on Thursday (6.30pm) to face a Glamorgan side who top the group after winning the last three matches they have completed, one of them at the Brightside Ground.
Gloucestershire then return to Bristol to face Somerset infront of a sell-out crowd on Friday.
Gloucestershire have lost only two of their scheduled eight fixtures, but with three of the others not yielding a result Dawson doesn't want the weather to interfere again.
"The rain at Chelmsford was frustrating, especially as we were five minutes from playing and we were certainly up for a game" he said. "There isn't any panic about our position although we have to get points on the board now. How many games do we need to win? In a perfect world, all the six we have left. Four might be enough, but we need to get on a run."
The squad of 14 for Thursday evening includes both Benny Howell and Graeme van Buuren, who have done enough in practice since the weekend to be considered after problems with groin and wrist injuries.
Squad:
Klinger (c), Mustard, Cockbain, Hankins, Roderick, van Buuren, J.Taylor, Howell, Noema-Barnett, Perera, Smith, Payne, Liddle, M.Taylor.
Glamorgan, for their part, have risen to the top of the South Group after an impressive run of form on the road, with wins at Sussex, Essex and Kent as well as Bristol. The make-up of their side - at times fielding only two players born in Wales - has come in for some criticism and they have kept their options open with a squad of 15.
Glamorgan squad:
Rudolph (c), Donald, Ingram, Miller, Selman, Cooke, Wagg, Meschede, Smith, Salter, Cullen, de Lange, van der Gugten, Hogan, Carey.
Gloucestershire head coach Richard Dawson went on "They have a mix that blends well and we know we'll have to play well to compete. We've got to play what is in front of us. Over the course of the group stages different pitches will give you different scores, some higher, some lower - like the one at Canterbury. Hampshire scored at more than 10 an over against us and batted really well to win."
"We've played some good cricket at times and it'll be the same message as usual. If we bat first, we put runs on the board. If we bowl first, we've got to restrict Glamorgan to give ourselves the best opportunity of a result."
With the Gloucestershire v Somerset match in Bristol sold out, there is only one more fixture for supporters to attend.
Essex are the opposition on Sunday 13 August and tickets are on sale here
Coverage :
You can follow the match via the live scorecard available on the website, or via Twitter @GlosCricket
