Vitality Blast Preview | Glos v Hampshire Hawks
19 June 2023
Gloucestershire face Hampshire Hawks in the tenth game of their Vitality Blast season, knowing nothing but a win will keep the Club’s faint hopes of qualification alive.
The Hawks start the game six points clear of the Shire and in the fourth and final quarter-final spot in the South Group.
Glos v Hants is one of two Blast games in Bristol this week! Get your tickets here.
Team news
Dale Benkenstein adds wicket-keeper James Bracey to a fourteen-player squad looking for a first win in the competition since Middlesex on June 4th.
Josh Shaw drops out of the squad as he features in Gloucestershire’s Second XI fixture against Worcestershire at Stourport CC.
Your 14-player Gloucestershire squad to face Glamorgan:
Miles Hammond*, Zaman Akhter, James Bracey, Ben Charlesworth, Zafar Gohar, David Payne, Ollie Price, Tom Price, Grant Roelofsen, Jack Taylor, Matt Taylor, Tom Smith, Graeme van Buuren, Ben Wells.
Last time out
Gloucestershire faced Glamorgan in the Severenside derby on Sunday, losing by 32 runs as the Welsh county kept within touching distance of a quarter-final spot.
Impressive figures of 2-20 for Tom Smith were not enough to stop Glamorgan from reaching 183/5 in their 20 overs.
Gloucestershire kept with the rate initially, Grant Roelofsen and Ben Charlesworth hitting 33 and 45, respectively, but the chase tailed off after a consistent loss of wickets in the final ten overs.
Our opponents
Last year’s champions, Hants, made a slow start to the competition, winning one of their first three, but have since been on a charge winning five of their next seven.
The south coast side beat Surrey by a landslide on Sunday, chasing the target of 125 down inside 15 overs.
Half-centuries from openers Ben McDermott and James Vince helped Hampshire to a convincing win after three wickets apiece for Chris Wood, John Turner and Nathan Ellis.
The Hampshire Hawks squad to face Gloucestershire:
James Vince*, Mason Crane, Liam Dawson, Nathan Ellis, Benny Howell, Josh Turner, Ross Whiteley, Toby Albert, Scott Currie, Aneurin Donald, James Fuller, Ben McDermott, Joe Weatherley, Chris Wood.
Last meeting
Glos visited Southampton in July last season, restricting the hosts to 140/7 but eventually falling short of the target, losing by 15 runs.
Benny Howell took two wickets that day and has since switched allegiances to the Hawks. The all-rounder could face the Shire for the first time since leaving the Club.
How to watch
Gloucestershire face Hampshire Hawks in the Vitality Blast at 18:30 on Tuesday 20 June at the Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol.
The game can be watched live in the Glos Cricket Match Centre. Coverage begins at 18:15.
