This week's fixtures
Monday: Warwickshire (h) 17:30
Tuesday: Nothamptonshire (a) 17:30
Friday: Somerset (h) 17:30
Sunday: Glamorgan (h) 14:30
Gloucestershire have four games left in their Twenty20 cup campaign, with all games realistically dead rubbers as only a mathematical miracle could see the Shire sneak through as a best third-place.
That unlikely scenario would require Glos to win all four remaining fixtures, and despite their excellent season thus far, an aspect of their cricket as been lacking in the 20-over games, as only one of five matches have been won.
As a result, a squad of 18 players has been named, and all players will be likely to feature a some point during the week.
The disappointment is that three home games remain - against Warwickshire later today, the derby against Somerset on Friday and then against Glamorgan on Sunday - and crowds will be down with the Shire having nothing to play for.
Friday's match against Somerset - a near sell-out in recent years - has been reduced to a fancy dress event in an attempt to pull in a bigger audience. A quite embarrassing publicity stunt occurred on the Hammond roof last Friday, with staff appearing as gladiators and many members wondering why the cast of the Sky One gameshow had turned up to watch the cricket.
A far better policy would have been to reduce ticket prices or offer some promotion to entice the punters, instead of trying even harder to dilute the already watered down cricket Twenty20 serves up; at least the poster in the Jessops stand has finally been changed, albeit several months late.
Alex Gidman will sit out the first two matches this week as he continues to recover from a back spasm and rightly wants to ensure his fitness for next week's important fixtures.
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