Gloucestershire CCC Match Preview - 14/08/2022

After back-to-back home wins over the weekend, the Foxes are aiming to make it three wins in a row, as they make their final away trip of the group stage. 

Paul Nixon’s side currently sit joint-top of Group A, earning four wins from five games ahead of the trip to Bristol to face fifth-placed Gloucestershire.

With six sides still in contention to qualify, including Wednesday’s hosts, it’s another must-win match for the Foxes.

Last Time We Met:
You’ll have to rewind seven years to find the last List A meeting between these two sides. A game Gloucestershire snook by a narrow one-run margin at Grace Road.

A century for Gareth Roderick, backed up by 87 from Geraint Jones, helped the visitors to an imposing 315 for six. Clint McKay returning impressive figures of 10-0-31-2.

In reply, 84 from Aadil Ali, 49 from Michael Burgess and an unbeaten 42 off just 23 balls from Rob Taylor got the Foxes to within and inch of victory.

But, with three needed off the final ball, McKay was run out attempting a quick second, denying the prospect of a tie and giving Gloucestershire the narrowest of victories. 

In Focus:

It’s been an impressive start to life in Foxes colours for Tom Scriven. His first five appearances have seen him thrust into important positions of responsibility with both bat and ball. 

The 23-year-old has bowled at the death, as well as adding some crucial late order firepower with the bat in hand. 

Arguably, his best performance came in the Foxes’ most recent outing - the 131-run win over Warwickshire, in which he smashed 30 from 17 balls to help the team post 338, before removing visiting skipper Will Rhodes in an economical display of 6-0-25-1. 

Scriven’s six wickets so far this campaign have arrived at 34.33, going at 5.54 runs per over, while he’s striking at 107.69 with the bat from his four innings.

Opposition Player to Watch:

Talking of all-rounders, Gloucestershire skipper Jack Taylor has been leading by example for his side in the opening half of the campaign.

With 252 runs, the 30-year-old is the leading run-scorer for Glos, while his average of 63 and strike rate of 120 again top his county’s charts.

With the ball, he has eight wickets at 22.37, another team-leading statistic for the leg spinner.

A career List A average of 38.30 striking at 113.62 renders Taylor one of the most destructive middle-order batsmen in the competition, while his handy leg breaks have arisen at 33.18, costing just 5.31 per over.

Squad:

Leicestershire Foxes: Barnes, Bowley, Hendricks, Hill *, Kimber, Lilley, Mulder, Patel, Scriven, Steel, Swindells +, Walker, Welch, Wright.