» County book T20 knockout spot,
RICHARD Dawson will warn his Gloucestershire players not to think too far ahead when Sussex visit Bristol for today’s crucial Vitality Blast South Group clash (6.30pm).
Already assured of a place in the knockout stage, Dawson’s men could clinch a home quarter-final with a victory, depending on the outcome of Somerset’s match with Kent at Canterbury the same night.
Both leaders Somerset (20 points) and third-placed Kent (16 points) could yet finish above Gloucestershire, who lie second with 18 and have the insurance of a final group match against Hampshire at Southampton on Friday.
Kent also have two games left and face Essex at Chelmsford on Friday, while Somerset, who have the superior net run rate, have played one more match and end their group campaign tomorrow.
Dawson is deliberately avoiding looking at potential quarter-final dates or thinking too much about securing home advantage.
He said: “It’s important we put all our focus into continuing to play good cricket, rather than thinking of what might lie ahead.
“We still have to face two very talented teams. Sussex can still make the quarter-finals, so they will have huge incentive to beat us and, while Hampshire have struggled in the group, they have some very good individual players.
“Of course it would be nice to be at home in the quarter-finals because we get great support at the Brightside Ground and know our own pitches, but I truly have not started to even think about that.
“If we can maintain our focus on each individual game, we will have good chance of winning our last two group fixtures and the rest will take care of itself.”
Gloucestershire finished bottom of the South Group last season and could still win it this year. Dawson believes the dramatic improvement in fortunes was down to a change in preparation.
“Instead of just training we arranged a lot of inter-squad games, which ensured competitive cricket for the players and ensured even those not in the team at the start got into decent form,” he said.
“We lost the first game against Somerset and I don’t think I have even seen us field so poorly. But we batted okay even in that match and since then, with the addition of Andrew Tye to the team, we have played consistently well.”
Graeme van Buuren is awaiting the results of a scan on what looked a serious hamstring injury suffered in the group match against Middlesex at Bristol.
“We had to wait for the injury to settle down before getting it assessed and will know more in the next couple of days,” said Dawson.