Gloucestershire start their Royal London One Day Cup campaign today as they take on Glamorgan at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff. But how have Gloucestershire fared so far this season in their opening four County Championship matches?
Gloucestershire are currently seventh in Division two with 37 points having won and drawn once while losing twice. The opening fixture of the season saw them take on Kent away in Canterbury, with the visiting side taking an impressive 19 points from the fixture. The match was a low scoring affair with neither side passing 200 in any innings, both Matt Taylor and new signing Ryan Higgins finished with 6 wickets apiece.
After a very positive start to the season Gloucestershire hosted their first fixture of the season at the Brightside ground in Bristol when they took on Glamorgan. Unfortunately, the home side could only muster two points from the fixture as Glamorgan made 526 for nine in their first innings batting them out of the game. However, batsmen James Bracey, who batted for seven hours, finished with 120 not out and showed the type of fight Gloucestershire will need to compete in division two this year.
James Bracey:
Friday the 27th of April saw Gloucestershire visiting Sussex in their third County Championship fixture of the season. Gloucestershire took eight points from the fixture which was affected by rain and eventually finished a draw. Higgins once again proved his worth as he took 5 for 21 in the first innings. It was however, the loss of the final day to rain that thwarted any effort of a result, Gloucestershire will feel hard-done-by, only requiring a further 59 runs with four wickets in hand. The eight points took them to 29 points in Division Two.
Ryan Higgins:
The Home of Cricket – Lords, played host to Gloucestershire’s fourth County Championship fixture as they took on Middlesex. The game ended with the away side taking eight points and their second draw of the season. Bracey once again showed his talents as he dug-in for his second century of the season, a century that has left him sixth on the season batting averages – with an average of 54.50. Gloucestershire had looked certain to lose after Middlesex enforced the follow-on with the away side still trailing by 179; rain on day two proved to be a fruitful asset for the away side.
Rain in Hove:
Higgins has certainly proved to be an excellent signing, as he currently sits 13th in the division two bowling averages – the best of Gloucestershire’s bowlers – with 18 wickets at an impressive average of 16.39. Daniel Worrell has also proved his worth so far this season with 16 wickets at an average of 21.75. Matt Taylor’s 15 wickets, although slightly more expensive, have been valuable. On the batting front, only 21-year-old Bracey stands out, the early season conditions are well known for the difficulties they pose to batsmen. But Gloucestershire will need more of their top order to stand up as they sit 39 points behind leader Warwickshire.
Overwhelmed with the support, hard to describe the buzz! Great fight back from the lads, awesome grit shown?? a lot of positives to take from the ? Ball going into the ⚪️ Ball @Gloscricket ??
— James Bracey (@bobbybracey114) May 14, 2018
Gloucestershire’s remaining County Championship games see them take on Kent and Northamptonshire after the Royal London One Day Cup break. Before then playing this year’s Vitality Blast games around the fixtures of: Sussex and Durham (both at this year’s Cheltenham cricket festival). The run-in then sees them playing Warwickshire, Leicestershire, Middlesex, Glamorgan, Northamptonshire and finally Derbyshire.