Joe Stanley is set to make his debut for Worcestershire Seconds when they return to Championship action against Gloucestershire at Rockhampton starting on Monday (August 29).
Stanley has been captaining the Worcestershire Academy side, and Seconds Coach, Kadeer Ali, says the off-spinner fully deserves his opportunity to play in the four-day fixture.
A strong squad includes Ed Pollock, Taylor Cornall, Ben Cox and Josh Tongue, plus Henry Cullen, Reeve Evitts and Olly Davidson, who all made their senior debuts in the Royal London Cup.
Kadeer said: “It will be Joe’s debut. He has done well for the Academy and, chatting to people who have seen Joe a lot more than I have, they have been quite complimentary about how he has bowled.
“He also had a pretty decent Super Fours when he bowled quite nicely, and in the Birmingham League, he is the main spinner for Wolverhampton.
“He has done well in the age group cricket, has been a good leader, so he deserves his opportunity.”
Kadeer believes Cullen, Evitts and Davidson will have reaped the benefits of their taste of Royal London Cup action.
He said: “I’m sure they’ve had a really good experience of playing after being involved in a few games during the last month.
“They can take whatever they’ve learnt and keep improving as cricketers.”
Rehaan Edavalath will be looking to continue his prolific form in age group cricket and, earlier in the campaign, scored his maiden Seconds century against the South Asian Cricket Academy.
Kadeer said: “He has been unbelievable, and his form has been terrific. At the start of the year, he had a couple of games for us and got a hundred against the South Asian Cricket Academy.
“He went off to do some school work and play some age-group cricket, and, for him to show the form he has, has been very impressive, and we hope he can continue that for the next month or so.”
Worcestershire will end their Secon Eleven Championship campaign with a trio of matches, and Kadeer says all those involved will have an incentive to do well.
He said: “The guys are looking forward to playing some longer format games.
There is still plenty to play for in terms of the first team and the players in the second team to push for places.”
WORCESTERSHIRE SECONDS
Ed Pollock
Taylor Cornall
Olly Cox
Ben Cox ©
Henry Cullen
Rehan Evadalath
Josh Tongue
Olly Davidson
Ben Gibbon
Cameron Jones
Reeve Evitts
Joe Stanley
