Time to match individual brilliance with team consistency - Dawson
1 April 2015
Richard Dawson says places are still up for grabs in the Gloucestershire first team as the side move into their final matches of pre-season.
With only the current game against Middlesex and a home fixture with Cardiff MCCU to go before the County Championship opener against Northants on April 12, the head coach says the players can still stake a claim for a place on the team sheet.
He said: “Places are still up for grabs. One reason I have given everyone a go is that as a squad we need to be able to rely on each other not just on a few individuals. There is still an opportunity for the lads to put their hands up and stake a claim for a position against Northants.”
Gloucestershire has enjoyed a promising pre-season campaign with one-day victories over Glamorgan and Worcestershire and draws against the same opposition in red ball cricket. The side also recorded a win and a defeat against Somerset in T20.
Richard Dawson said: “We’ve had a lot of individual performances where people have done some very positive things but as a group we are still finding that consistency.
“There’s been some outstanding stuff: Robbie Montgomery winning the game at Worcester with 90 odd not out, Hamish getting 180 not out in the T20 v Somerset and some of the bowling in the two-day match against Worcester. But there are still areas we can improve on.”
After seven days of cricket on the road, Gloucestershire return to the Bristol County Ground on April 7 for a three-day game against Cardiff MCCU. New overseas signing Peter Handscomb is expected to make his debut in that game and Dawson says the focus will be on continuing to develop a strong team ethos.
He said: “The message I’m trying to get across is that we win as a group and lose as a group but whatever we do we are reliant on everyone in the squad and that’s why everyone has played some cricket during pre-season.”
To listen to the full interview, including more on Robbie Montgomery, Hamish Marshall and the areas the team need to improve on click below.
