Gloucestershire CCC | County Championship Match Preview - 03/09/2023

Leicestershire are back in four-day action tomorrow, as County Championship cricket returns to Uptonsteel County Ground for the visit of Gloucestershire.

It’ll be the second meeting in a week between the two, after the Foxes defeated Gloucestershire by six wickets in Tuesday’s unforgettable Metro Bank One Day Cup semi-final on Grace Road.

Leicestershire sit fifth with a game in hand in Division Two, knowing a win will put them firmly in the promotion hunt as the season reaches its climax. Gloucestershire sit seventh, a point behind Derbyshire.

Tickets:

Tickets can be purchased online HERE, or on the Curzon Road gate each day from 9am.

Last Time We Met:

Leicestershire took home a stunning victory in the County Championship meeting in Bristol earlier this season.

After taking eight Gloucestershire wickets for just 70 runs either side of lunch on the final day, the Foxes chased down 221 in 41.2 overs to record a five-wicket win.

Rehan Ahmed, promoted to number three, made an enterprising 71, while Colin Ackermann finished unbeaten on 78, as the two put on 141 together to charge the victory push.

Fox to Watch:

Umar Amin is in line for a Leicestershire debut this week, with the Pakistan international bringing both a wealth of experience and runs to his new side.

The 33-year-old has big boots to fill after the successful summer Peter Handscomb enjoyed with the Foxes, but Amin boasts a colossal 19,770 career runs to his name, including more than 10,000 at an impressive average of 41.13 in red-ball cricket.

Along with 28 centuries in the longest form of the game, headlined by his career-best score of 281, the Rawalpindi-born star also offers a medium-pace bowling option, picking up 49 wickets at 34.30 in first-class cricket.

Opposition Player to Watch:

Talking of run-scorers, Miles Hammond has made plenty for Gloucestershire this season. 617 at an average of 39.47, in fact.

A player who scores his runs quickly (68.33 strike rate this term), Hammond can hurt sides at the flick of a switch. With two ducks in three innings against the Foxes this summer, Leicestershire will be hoping Hammond doesn’t reach Top Gear again this week.

Squad:

New signings Umar Amin and Ben Cox are in line to make their Leicestershire debuts, while Sam Evans and Josh Hull also enter the 13-strong red-ball squad.

Leicestershire: Ackermann, Amin, Budinger, Cox+, Evans, Hill*, Hull, Kimber, Mulder, Patel, Salisbury, Scriven, Wright.