Roderick ready for recall following century for second XI
2 June 2017
Gareth Roderick has put himself in line for a recall to Gloucestershire’s team with a brilliant performance in the second XI win over Worcestershire.
The club’s four-day captain, who has missed the first four Specsavers County Championship matches following illness, smashed 170 against Worcestershire at Cheltenham College.
Roderick confirmed his return to form and fitness, batting for 11 minutes short of five hours, facing 226 balls and hitting 23 fours and a six.
Head coach Richard Dawson said: “Rodders had already hit a hundred for the seconds this season, but we wanted to see him back it up.
“He has now done so in some style and will have the chance of another knock for the seconds next week before our next Championship game.
“The weather had prevented him getting as much cricket as we would have liked, but spending so long at the crease will have been great for him.
“All being well, he will now be back in contention to face Notts at Bristol next weekend.”
Roderick was not the only first team batsman to make hay in the second XI friendly against Worcestershire at Cheltenham College, which will host the annual Cheltenham Cricket Festival in July.
Cameron Bancroft got runs in both innings whilst George Haskins and Kieran Noema-Barnett made half-centuries. Young left-hander Brandon Gilmour also pressed his claims for a senior call-up with a brisk 88.
“You can do all the net practice you like, but time out in the middle is all important to building confidence,” said Dawson.
“It’s great that players like Cameron Bancroft want to play second XI cricket to strike some form and the Worcestershire game could hardly have gone better from that perspective.”
The head coach also plans to name strong sides for four days of cricket against Essex next week, a Second XI Trophy one-day match at Chelmsford on Monday and a three-day Second XI Championship match at Billercay, starting on Tuesday.
Gloucestershire suffered defeat by an innings and 50 runs in the Championship game with Notts at Trent Bridge last weekend and Dawson says that the return fixture in Bristol next week will be tough.
“They gave us a lesson in applying pressure with the ball and overcoming it with the bat,” he said.
“Fresh out of the First Division, they are probably more used to pressure situations and dealing with them better is something we must aspire to.”
The Specsavers County Championship fixture begins on Friday 9 June, at the Brightside Ground. Click here to book tickets.
Tickets to watch Gloucestershire Cricket in the NatWest T20 Blast are now on sale. Click here to book.
