Shaw targets first team cricket
9 March 2016
On-loan seamer Josh Shaw said the chance to play first team cricket was behind his season-long switch to Gloucestershire.
The Yorkshire fast bowler - who has appeared twice for the county champions in the NatWest T20 Blast - said he had no hesitation in heading south for the summer when the opportunity arose.
He said: “When Martin Moxon (Yorkshire director of cricket) asked me if I was interested I jumped at the chance.
“It came down to the chance to play first team cricket. At Yorkshire I would have to rely on a few injuries for a chance. Here, I know I have to work hard but if I bowl well I could be in with a chance of making the squad for that first game against Essex.”
The 20-year-old, former England Under 19 international said the chance to work with Gloucestershire head coach Richard Dawson again was another major factor behind his decision.
He said: “He was a big part of it. I worked with Daws at Yorkshire and with England and he knows how I work, how to get me training well. He understands my game and I know he will help keep me developing.”
Josh met up with the first team squad during a recent training camp at the National Performance Centre at Loughborough and has spent his first couple of weeks in Bristol staying with fellow new signing Chris Liddle.
And despite not knowing many of the Gloucestershire players in advance he says he has been pleased at how quickly he has felt at home at the Bristol County Ground.
He said: “I didn’t know many of the lads which was a bit daunting at first but I have settled in really well. Quite a few of them are my age which helps and I have played against a few in the second team. I know Miles Hammond from playing England Under 19 but he has been away at University so far.
“The lads have all been really good with telling me about the city and stuff which has been really useful.”
Josh’s dad Chris played for Yorkshire in the 1980s taking 181 wickets in 109 matches for the White Rose county.
As well as learning from his father he says he also benefited from the chance to pick the brains of experienced England bowlers Ryan Sidebottom and Tim Bresnan in the nets at Headingly.
But Josh says his inspiration in the game is South Africa pace bowler Dale Steyn.
He said: “I really like to watch Dale Steyn for his aggressive, never say die attitude. I am a pretty aggressive cricketer, I give 110% every time no matter who I pull on the shirt for and I think Steyn is similar in that respect.”
Josh was born and grew up in Wakefield, and played for the Yorkshire junior teams before progressing to the Academy and Second XI.
He played for England in the Under 19 World Cup in the UAE in 2014. In the same year he took five wickets in each innings of a second XI match against Durham before taking 6-103 in a drawn Test against the South Africans at Cambridge a week later. He finished the season helping Yorkshire Academy’s to a league and cup double success.
Last season he picked 26 wickets in the Second XI in 14 appearances across all formats.
And Josh said his goal for 2016 is a simple one.
He said: “I want to try and play as many games as I can and perform at my best to help Gloucestershire win matches. My first aim is to try and play in the Championship and then see if I can cross over into the T20 and 50 over.
“Obviously my main strength is my bowling but I’m also handy with the bat and that’s a part of my game I am trying to work on. I want to become a bowling allrounder rather than a bowler that can bat a bit.”
