County Championship 2012 Preview: Division 2 - Gloucestershire

A strong fourth in Division 2 last season but how will the departures of Jon Lewis, last season's leading wicket taker and Chris Taylor, the leading run scorer, over the winter affect their chances in 2012?  

Strengths

Even putting to one side the contribution of  Lewis, Will Gidman, David Payne and Ian Saxelby all took over 40 wickets in the Championship last season. Indeed, Gidman did the double of 50 wickets and 1,000 runs. Kane Williamson is back for a second season as overseas player. The batting looks thinner and will rely heavily on Gidman's brother Alex the captain, Hamish Marshall and Dan Housego who returns to the county from Middlesex where he was the leading run scorer in the 2nd XI Championship last season.

Weaknesses

Losing Lewis is a real blow as he has been the mainstay of the attack for several seasons. Payne and Saxelby have plenty of promise but at 21 and 22 respectively is it asking too much for them to make the step up to leading the attack? The loss of Taylor could prove even more devastating as the batting looks decidedly shaky.  

Main man

Can Will Gidman have as productive a season as last? Probably not, but even 10 wickets and 200 runs less would still be an outstanding return.

Look out for

Whether Payne and/or Saxelby can step up in the absence of Lewis.

Prediction

8th - Losing your best bowler is clumsy, but also releasing your top batsman is downright foolish.

Where next? 

Read our Division 1 previews: Durham, Lancashire, Middlesex, Notts, Somerset, Surrey, Sussex, Warwickshire and Worcestershire

Division 2 previews: Derbyshire, Essex, Glamorgan, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Kent, Leicestershire, Northants and Yorkshire

2011 County Cricket Review: including Heroes of the Season, Best and Worst XIs, and a whole host of other nonsense

County Championship 2011 Preview - Gloucestershire 

Check out all our Reverse Sweep cricket heroes and zeroes 

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

Comments

[Huw Clayton]

"James Franklin is a good choice as overseas player."

No doubt he would be - but that comes as news to me. When was he signed? I thought the Shire were without a full-time overseas pro this year.

[The Reverse Sweep]

I wonder Huw if I have fallen victim to an incorrectly updated squad profile on Cricinfo - see http://www.espncricinfo.com/county-cricket-2012/content/squad/554980.html 

[Huw Clayton]

I think you must have - because this morning I have heard that Kane Williamson is returning to Gloucestershire (which is just as much of a surprise to me).

He's a good player no doubt, but last season he flattered to deceive a lot. It's bizarre that he has returned and Taylor let go. But then, much that happens at the Shire is bizarre. There were rumours of an outside sponsor paying for him and Murali last year, on the quiet, which may be correct.

[The Reverse Sweep]

I saw the news about Williamson too Huw. Give him a chance, I saw his Test hundred in India and the one he made last week against South Africa. He's a good player and you never know could perform better in his second season. The Taylor decision though is still a strange one - I guess it is the reality of the financial situation.

[goollaSaf]

Good bye, sweet soul mate :)