Let's Get Behind Our Young Guns
21 March 2012
John Bracewell is relishing the challenge of four more seasons developing Gloucestershire’s young team and urges supporters to back them to the hilt this summer.
The vastly experienced Director of Cricket recently signed a three-year extension to his contract, tying him to the club until the end of the 2015 season.
And, while he emphasises that a degree of patience will be needed as the young squad continue to learn their trade, John is as excited as ever by the dawn of a new season.
He told this website: “The clincher when it came to signing the extended contract was that I enjoy working with our current crop of young cricketers.
“They have some really good skills and a lot of energy so they deserve good back-up. We have an excellent coaching staff and the best medical team on the county circuit.
“The challenge is a good one for me. It is not a time for a short-term fast fix because this is one of the toughest times financially in the club’s history.
“I hope everyone associated with Gloucestershire cricket will be prepared to show a degree of patience.
“We have lost a lot of experience from our playing ranks during the winter and must therefore reassess our goals.
“There has to be realism because the average age of the team had plummeted to around 22 and we have a comparatively small squad.
“It’s a time for getting behind these young guys and supporting them so that they have every chance to become the good cricketers they can be.”
John says an announcement on an overseas signing for the coming season is imminent and is looking forward to seeing winter recruit Dan Housego play a leading role as a batsman.
He added: “We signed Dan Housego from Middlesex after receiving reports that he is one of the best, if not the best, top four batsmen in second XI cricket.
“Middlesex had a squad of something like 27 players last season and are continually buying in experience so Dan was not getting the opportunity to express himself as a first class cricketer.
“We will give him that chance and I am sure he will blossom because of that. He has shown he has the talent to play county cricket, but lacks experience.
“I see him batting at three or four for us and playing a big part in our season.”
