Prolific Gidman revelling in his new role as loan star with Kent
KENT’S promotion hopes were dashed earlier this week but it will take a while for the smile to be wiped off loanee Will Gidman’s face.
Since joining Kent from Nottinghamshire on an initial one-month loan deal, 31-year-old Gidman has been in impressive form with the bat, producing knocks of 75, 58, 99 – all not out – and 51 in his last five innings.
It wasn’t enough though to see Kent pip Essex to the sole Division Two promotion spot as they cemented promotion during their game against Glamorgan.
However, after struggling with an ankle injury this season, as well as spending time with Nottinghamshire’s 2nd XI, Gidman admits it has still been a relief to feel wanted again.
“I am just very fortunate that I have been given the opportunity by Kent to play a bit of cricket and I am just very grateful and I am pleased I can repay them with a few runs,” said the former Gloucestershire all-rounder.
“I am really enjoying it, mainly just because I am playing with a great bunch of boys.
“They have been brilliant in welcoming me to the club and I am just really enjoying their company and it is nice to be playing some cricket.”
Gidman’s highlight so far came when he battled hard for almost six hours against Sussex at the end of last month, only to narrowly miss out on a sixth firstclass century when he was stranded on 99.
It might not have been pretty but it demonstrated top-class patience and technique, even if the man himself was keen to ensure his new team-mates enjoyed their share of the spotlight with Darren Stevens and Matt Coles also chipping in with knocks of 79 and 70 respectively.
“I had never had a 99 before, either out or not out,” added Gidman, who has a year left on his contract at Trent Bridge. “They bowled very well and I didn’t get many loose balls all day. It was a very slow start and I was in single figures for a very long time.
“I don’t know how many balls I faced, probably quite a few, but it was just a result of their bowling really.
“It was all I could do to hang around and it was just a case of occupying the crease, trying to rotate the strike as Stevens and Colesey struck it beautifully.
“They found a bit of rhythm and I was pretty in and out of nick all innings. So it was just a case of grinding it out and handing the strike over to the guys who were hitting it better than me.”