Payne excited for new era under ‘club legend’

PACE bowler David Payne believes Gloucestershire have a squad capable of pushing for promotion from Division Two of the County Championship under head coach Mark Alleyne this summer.

Payne, 33, has come back from his stint in the Big Bash with Adelaide Strikers to a Gloucestershire squad now under the control of Alleyne, after Dale Benkenstein’s defection to Lancashire, and with two Australian imports on the way, opener Cameron Bancroft for the whole summer, and Beau Webster for the Blast and a few red-ball games.

“It’s really exciting. Everyone knows who Mark is, he is a legend of the club,” said Payne. “It’s been a very difficult couple of years and everyone wants to turn that around - we all want to show that we are not as bad as we have been in the past couple of years.

“Mark’s come in with some fresh ideas, everything has been freshened up, and although I didn’t go to South Africa, the boys have come back in very good spirits, they all seem to have had a great trip and everyone has high hopes for the summer.

“The two signings have been really exciting for us. Beau has had a fantastic summer with red and white ball so that’s a really exciting signing for us.

“And with Bangers (Bancroft), we know what he can do and to have him for the whole summer here is fantastic, you don’t get that very often these days.

“I know Bangers very well, there’s quite a few lads who are still here from his previous time, and I think that was a reason he was happy to sign here, he knows the environment, he knows the lads and he really enjoyed it last time.

“I have shared a few dressing rooms with him now and he is a fantastic guy and I am really looking forward to having him back.

But for Payne, priority number one for this summer is staying fit and feeling good - but he still has higher aspirations.

“The ultimate goal is always going to be trying to push myself back into that England white-ball side,” he said.

“I strongly believe I can still get back there if I am fit and bowling the best that I can.

“But I am taking it slowly. The whole point of the new contract being more white ball was about longevity for my career.

“In the back of mind, the biggest fear is causing a career-ending injury.

“In different times you push through and keep trying but the new contract gives me the control to look after myself a bit better and try to prolong my career.

But long-term, coaching is also a future ambition, and if he is unable to play red-ball cricket, he will be there to help Gloucestershire’s seam bowlers.

“That’s how I see my secondary role,” he said. “Coaching is definitely an area I’d like to get into so I see myself as a bit of a mentor.

“That’s a role I want to grow into more and more and in the long term transition into a coaching role here.

“We have a very good crop of bowlers even without myself - I believe that if I wasn’t able to get out there this is still a team that can compete for promotion.”