Rouse Can't Wait For That Cheltenham Buzz
12 July 2014
Adam Rouse can’t wait to sample his first taste of Brewin Dolphin Cheltenham Festival action on Monday.
Gloucestershire’s trialist wicketkeeper has only played second XI cricket at the College Ground and is looking forward to seeing it packed with spectators over the course of the coming fortnight.
Adam is expected to be in the side for the LV=County Championship game with Derbyshire, which starts the Festival, and has already been told by his team-mates to expect a special experience.
He told this website: “The lads have told me about the atmosphere at Cheltenham and how the crowd gets right behind the team, so I’m excited at the prospect of experiencing it.
“When I played second XI cricket there it was the week after the Festival so everything was still set up. The only thing missing was spectators.
“It will be great to feel the buzz of the ground being packed. We face a tough two weeks of fixtures, but everyone is looking forward to it.”
Adam has proved a big success since joining the club. “I’m really enjoying my cricket and just wish we had been able to force home the advantage in the last couple of games against Hampshire and Somerset.
“We played some really good cricket in both matches and that means we can go into Cheltenham with confidence high.”
Gloucestershire are resigned to being without three of their seam bowlers for the entire duration of the Cheltenham Festival.
It had been hoped that at least one of the injured trio of Craig Miles, Matt Taylor and James Fuller might be fit for some of the games at the College Ground.
But director of cricket John Bracewell has now ruled out that possibility, revealing that Miles (back), Taylor (shin splints) and Fuller (foot) will all need more recovery time.
He told this website: “Craig is not ready yet. He has bowled well in the second XI, but does not have sufficient overs under his belt to be considered for the Cheltenham games.
“Matt Taylor is still someway down the line from recovery and the same applies to James Fuller.”
Graeme McCarter is added to the team, who dominated the drawn Championship game with second placed Hampshire during the week, along with a fit again Michael Klinger to make a squad of 13 for the Derbyshire game.
John Bracewell added: “We are used to having our squad stretched by injury and coming through tough times.
“Winning at Cheltenham is going to be very important to our season. There is still time for the Championship Second Division to squeeze up and a couple of victories would put us in a decent position.”
Gloucestershire (from) M.Klinger (capt), C.Dent, W.Tavare, A.Gidman, H.Marshall, I.Cockbain, B.Howell, W.Gidman, T.Smith, A.Rouse (wkt), L.Norwell, D.Payne, G.McCarter, J Taylor.
