Gloucestershire Preview: Crunch clash awaits as Rothesay County Championship heats up

Rothesay County Championship Division Two: Worcestershire v Gloucestershire

Venue: New Road, Worcester

Date: Friday 19th June

Scheduled start time: 11am

Match preview sponsored by MSN Pharmacy Group.

A pivotal Rothesay County Championship meeting with Gloucestershire awaits Worcestershire this weekend, in a fixture that sees two sides at the wrong end of the Division Two table face off in the final red ball instalment until the end of August.

For Alan Richardson’s outfit, Friday’s match provides an opportunity to record a second home win of the season in red ball cricket, after falling to defeat against Middlesex last time out.

It was the returning Ben Allison who starred for the hosts last week, marking his return with a first-class high score of 89 in the second-innings against Middlesex, having helped himself to six wickets in the match prior to his stunning knock on the fourth day.

Changes are afoot for the Pears going into the clash with Gloucestershire, however, with seamer Adam Finch set to miss out this week after leaving the field midway through the Middlesex match with a reported side injury.

In brighter news for Worcestershire supporters, Matthew Waite has been declared fit enough to resume bowling and is expected to feature fully after injury meant he was only able to play as a batter last time out.

The squad also welcomes back influential top-order batter Adam Hose who was absent due to personal reasons last week, whilst spinner Fateh Singh is included after impressing for the 2nd XI.

Kadeer Ali says his side is ready to step-up against Gloucestershire this Friday, only a few days on from a “sloppy” performance during Worcestershire’s loss to Middlesex.  

After Monday’s final day defeat, a third in Division Two this summer for the Pears, Worcestershire’s Assistant Coach reflected on the performance with both the playing group and his fellow coaching staff.  

After clawing their way into a positive position on the fourth morning, Worcestershire’s batters were spun out by Zafar Gohar, stifling their efforts to hold on for a draw.  

According to Ali, the balance of application and intent is one he needs to get right if they are to produce their best display with the bat.  

“I felt like we were sloppy throughout the game in all three departments, if I am honest, with the bat, the ball and in the field.  

“Every day it felt like we had an opportunity to go past Middlesex, and it didn’t feel like we seized those moments, and those are the areas we are looking to improve on this week.  

“There were moments, especially as a batting unit, where we could have been a lot smarter, absorbed a bit more pressure and stayed a bit calmer. There is always that light to come at the end of the tunnel.  

“We needed a bit of old school graft, where you defend for your life and put value on your wicket and probably lacked a bit of application, which was the frustrating part.  

“Sometimes you have to look after your mate in the middle, when he arrives, you take a bit of ownership as a set batter and get through that tough period.  

“We know we weren’t good enough during that game, but if we can convert those partnerships with the bat into big ones, we aren’t far away.”  

After resting on Tuesday, the playing group reported back to training at New Road on Wednesday, just two days out from Friday’s crunch clash.  

Having been leapfrogged by Middlesex, Worcestershire occupy seventh spot in Division Two, meeting the only side below them this weekend.  

There is plenty of food for thought for Ali and Head Coach Alan Richardson, who have responded to the spin-friendly nature of last week’s surface by including Fateh Singh in the matchday squad.  

Although aware of the playing conditions, Ali says his side’s thought process won’t change as the Pears look to record their first win in the County Championship since beating Kent at New Road back in April.  

“The message is simple: stick to the basics and do them really well. We need to adapt to situations and circumstances as much as the wicket.  

“The lads are itching to do better as we have had a couple of losses in the last few games, so they want to prove a point.  

“Our mindset remains that every game is important, and this is just another game, where we need to do our basics really well.  

“I thought the wicket played really well last week. There was some uneven bounce, but that is to be expected over four days of cricket, and it did spin as the game went on.  

“History tells us that it doesn’t really spin here, but actually in the last few games, there has been some turn.  

“It will be something we think about going into the game for sure.” 

Captain: Cameron Bancroft

Table position: 8th

Last result: Lost to Northants by seven wickets

One to watch: James Bracey

Currently sat bottom of Division Two, Gloucestershire travel to New Road in search of what would be just a second victory of the red ball summer.

Struggling with the bat, the visitors will be looking to key man James Bracey for inspiration, with the 29-year-old having been a shining light for the Bristol based side so far this summer.

Racking up 513 runs at an average north of 42, the keeper batter will be looking to continue his excellent recent form that saw him register a season-best 148* just last week, during his side’s defeat to Northants.

With the ball, it is Kiwi Will Williams who leads the wicket taking charts for Gloucestershire, with the right-arm seamer posing plenty of problems for teams across the Division with his 22 wickets so far this summer.