"We will look to play aggressive cricket": New skipper Jones looks ahead to 2015
19 December 2014
Gloucestershire’s new four-day captain Geraint Jones is promising to bring an aggressive brand of cricket to the Bristol County Ground in 2015.
In his first interview since joining from Kent the 2005 Ashes winner spoke about his hopes for next year, sharing the captaincy with Michael Klinger and the role table tennis is playing in team bonding.
He said: “The First Division is where any team wants to play and Gloucestershire is no different. It is a young squad but it has guys that have been playing for a few years now and have the talent to play there.
“The teams up there play good, hard, competitive cricket and that’s the way I want us to play. We will look to play an aggressive brand of cricket to prepare the guys for the challenges to come.
“At the same time we will play with the utmost respect and with a big smile on our faces which should transfer to our fans.”
Geraint, 38, ended a 13 year association with Kent to make the move to Gloucestershire. In total the ‘keeper/batsman has made over 8000 First Class runs and taken more than 600 dismissals. He has played 51 One Day Internationals and 34 Tests for England including the memorable series win over Australia in 2005.
Geraint – who played club cricket for Lydney and Clevedon before turning professional – spent a month at Gloucestershire last summer before an eye injury cut short his loan deal. And he said he had no hesitation at joining the club on a permanent basis following the expiry of his contract at Kent.
He said: “I really enjoyed the month I had here and enjoyed playing with the squad.
“Being offered the captaincy was another big part of it. I was vice captain at Kent and enjoyed stepping up when Rob Key was injured and when James Tredwell was away with England.
“I wasn’t quite ready to finish my career and the chance to come to Glos and have two years to develop myself and play some matches was one I couldn’t turn down.
“It is something I really want to sink my teeth into.”
The Papua New Guinea-born player will captain the team in the County Championship with Michael Klinger resuming skippering duties for the shorter forms of the game when he returns from Australia in June.
He said: “I am still keen to play across all formats but I can see the split-captaincy working very well. Mike is highly respected by the guys for what he has done here over the last few years
“He’s out in Perth settling in with his new side so we haven’t spoken yet. During the winter the coaching and fitness staff here prepare the boys until March and I see my role really coming into practice when we start playing matches. That’s when I will step up.”
Geraint says the loss of the experienced Alex and Will Gidman will be a challenge for the young squad but he feels they have players ready to step up and fill their considerable shoes.
He said: “Losing two players of their quality and presence in the dressing room will be a loss but with that comes opportunity. It gives a chance to somebody that might have been a fringe player before.
“Cricket dressing rooms are a place where people move on from things very quickly. The Gidmans won’t be there but there will be other guys who will step and take on leadership roles.”
Having played or trained with the majority of the squad last season Geraint said he has settled into his new squad well during pre-season training. He has already experienced the ‘dreaded’ Filton track sessions and has sampled one of the Gloucestershire players’ more unlikely pre-season past-times - table tennis.
At the end of training, squad members can often be found sharpening their competitive instincts at a homemade table - built by former fast bowler Ian Saxelby - in the centre of the home dressing room.
Geraint said: “The noise of table tennis ball hitting bat in the changing room is pretty much there the whole time.
“Foz (James Fuller) is one of the most competitive – he has his own bat which he puts back into its plastic wrapping after each game. The others just play with normal bats but he has an international standard ping pong bat and is top of the leader board.
“Cricket in halls in the winter can be a bit dispiriting at times so anything that helps in-between is a good move. It all adds to the spirit in the squad and creates a bit of competition and banter as people try and get up the leader board.
"I have had a couple of games but didn’t do too well(see pic). I will have to get some sneaky practice in!”
Geraint’s first match in charge of Gloucestershire will be a friendly against Cardiff MCCU from April7-9 before the Championship opener away at Northants.
His first home match as skipper will see Glos take on Derbyshire at the Bristol County Ground starting on April 26.
