After a disappointing performance last year, Neal Osborn and his side will be out for revenge when the University of Worcester comes to Cheltenham.
After the scores were tied at five all, going into the fixture, pressure was on for the cricketers, and a dominant performance form Worcester made sure varsity went back with them.
As varsity season comes back around first team Captain Neal Osborn wants to right pervious wrongs.
“I defiantly think we can add a point. We’ve got a point to prove, the squad is different to last year, the atmosphere is fantastic so I can’t see why we cant go prove people wrong.
“I tried to bring in some new people this year, we’ve tried to change the culture a lot. The sessions have been short and sharp, and done a lot on team bonding and made sure the squad is working hard,” added Osborn.
But with less than two weeks to go, confidence is as high as ever in the squad.
“The atmosphere is really positive, the lads have really brought into what we’ve tried to do this year. They know I’ve got their backs, they’ve got mine. I really do think we can bring it home this year.
Last year we lost a lot of third years, great servants to the club. We’ve been fortunate enough for a few lads to come back to do a masters. We’ve got a really good plethora of first years, who have got a really good skill set. We haven’t had to work to hard on the cricketing skills but more of the game side of things,” Osborn went on to add.
But it’s not just the varsity squad Osborn has focused on. A priority of the club has been to get everyone feeling apart of a squad.
“I’ve been trying to make it feel where have this squad feel. This one club ethos, whether that is at training or at socials or small things like saying morning or saying hi to someone at the club if they see someone on campus.
“We’ve got 5 or 6 games in BUCS, so those who don’t play, its just another day, it’s just another game. The varsity team might be a completely different team to the one that plays the first BUCS game'” Osborn explained.
The occasion will be huge, with hundreds of fans expected to spectate, but Osborn said its the chance for someone to leave a legacy.
“The lads are looking forward to the challenge, playing in front of fans. This is their opportunity to leave a legacy at the club, at the uni.
“One of the lads has a good saying which is ‘pressure creates diamonds’, so I’ve been using that, who’s going to be the gem of varsity.”
Gloucestershire will be looking to win back their varsity crown on the 5th April.
