Aiming to make his mark
PAUL van Meekeren is relishing a second opportunity to make an impact on the West Country this summer.
The 29-year-old Gloucestershire seamer has a point to prove after being released by Somerset at the end of the 2019 season and has already been among the wickets in the early Vitality Blast group games.
His three against Surrey at The Oval on Tuesday night included the prize one of mighty West Indian Kieron Pollard, one of the biggest names in T20 cricket.
That wasn’t the first time van Meekeren had posed problems for a world class player. On his one-day international debut for the Netherlands against South Africa in 2013, he took the wicket of Hashim Amla.
I was at Bristol in August 2017 when van Meekeren gave Michael Klinger a real working over in a T20 clash. It was the only time during his many years with Gloucestershire that I saw the brilliant Klinger troubled by pace.
He needed treatment after being struck a painful blow in the ribs by van Meekeren and it seemed Somerset had unearthed a genuine talent.
Paul’s efforts that night saw him selected for three of the remaining four group games and the quarterfinal defeat by Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge. Eventually, he fell victim to the competition for seam bowling places at Taunton, which included the Overton twins, Lewis Gregory, Josh Davey and Tim Groenewald.
But van Meekeren learned a lot from his three and a half years as a Somerset player and when I spoke to him at Gloucestershire’s press day this year it was clear he was pumped up to embrace a new challenge.
“It was tough breaking into the side at Somerset and after I did get in, I picked up a couple of injuries, which didn’t help,” he said.
“But it was a great experience being with the club and left me with some wonderful memories.
“Now I am with another strong squad with fierce competition for places. But I am prepared to await my chance and feel ready to take it when it comes.”
After a brief spell with Durham in last season’s Blast, van Meekeren signed a two-year contract with Gloucestershire. He could be a key player in hopes of reaching the knockout stages of the Blast, bowling early in the innings, because on the evidence of the opening three group games, the team have to improve with bat and ball in the initial powerplay. In the first match against Middlesex at Radlett, Gloucestershire posted 47 for one off the first six overs, having allowed their opponents to rattle up 89 for one in the same period.
The following victory over Sussex at Bristol was achieved despite the visitors scoring 52 for one compared to 39 for two in the powerplay. And when it was reduced to 4.5 overs after the delayed start against Surrey, the hosts smashed 66 for two, with Gloucestershire slumping to 23 for four in reply.
I will be watching van Meekeren’s progress. With plenty of international experience, he could prove a canny signing for white ball cricket.