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» Gloucestershire skipper Chris Dent excited for start of the Bob Willis Trophy,
CHRIS Dent believes home advantage in their first two group matches will give Gloucestershire a great chance to make a flying start to the Bob Willis Trophy.
The skipper was delighted when the fixture list was announced for the new four-day competition last Friday and revealed that his side will play three of their five Central Group games at the Bristol County Ground.
Some counties, such as arch-rivals Somerset, have three away matches, but Gloucestershire’s only travels will be the relatively short trips to Cardiff and Taunton.
Dent’s men begin with a home game against Worcestershire, starting on Saturday, and then entertain Warwickshire the following weekend.
He said: “Home advantage is important and having our first two games at Bristol gives us an opportunity to establish a good early position in the group.
“With so few games, that could be crucial.
“We have also avoided the longer journeys, so I am very happy with our fixture list.
“The lads are raring to go. There is a strange feeling because it seems like time has stood still and it should be April, with the season just about to get underway.
“There is the same sense of anticipation and we desperately want to keep the momentum going from winning promotion last year.”
Gloucestershire travel to face Glamorgan, starting on August 15, and Somerset a week later before concluding their group campaign at home to Northamptonshire, beginning on September 6.
Three of the teams they face, Northants, Somerset and Warwickshire, will be opponents in the First Division when the County Championship resumes next summer.
“It’s a great opportunity to test ourselves against those sides,” said Dent.
“We were optimistic of doing well in the Championship again this season and that also applies to the Bob Willis Trophy.
“We feel we are still developing as a team and James Bracey’s involvement with the England squad is a great incentive for the other players in our squad with international ambitions.
“James has shown what is possible for any Gloucestershire player who shows consistently good form.
“Hopefully, playing in the First Division of the Championship will bring the best out of us.
“In the meantime, we all want to impress in the Bob Willis Trophy.”
The new competition has been accorded first-class status.
The only change from the points allocation in the Championship is that a draw will earn each side eight points, rather than five.
The number of overs bowled in a day has been reduced from 96 to 90, while each team’s first innings will span a maximum of 120 overs.
A new ball will become available after 90 overs, instead of 80, and the follow-on figure will increase from 150 to 200 to lessen the chance of bowlers spending two successive innings in the field.
While the games will be played behind closed doors, Gloucestershire supporters can watch live ball-by-ball action by signing up free of charge to the match centre on the club’s official website.
The Bob Willis Trophy, named in honour of the former England pace bowler, will precede and overlap the Vitality Blast tournament, which is scheduled to start on Thursday August 27.
Gloucestershire fixtures: Aug 1-4 Worcestershire (h), Aug 8-11 Warwickshire (h), Aug 15-18 Glamorgan (a), Aug 22-25 Somerset (a), Sept 6-9 Northants (h)