Trio on new terms ready for resumption
16 March 2018
We caught up with Gloucestershire trio Chris Liddle, Miles Hammond and Kieran Noema-Barnett who discussed their latest 12 month contracts, pre-season training and preparations for the season ahead.
At 34, Chris Liddle is the eldest but in last season's Royal London One-Day Cup only Surrey's Sam Curran took more wickets, a strong response from the former Sussex bowler to a difficult first summer at the Brightside Ground in 2016. His opportunities were more limited in T20 and Championship cricket but after an interesting winter he's ready to pitch in again over the coming months.
"I played for Brackenfell CC in the Western Province Premier League and then helped to coach the Netherlands bowlers in Pretoria as they prepared for their World Cup qualifiers" Liddle said. "Playing at the weekends meant I kept ticking over even if I had the option to climb a mountain one day or be on the beach the next!"
"As a team we were disappointed with our white ball cricket last year and we want to put that right because we know how good we are, and that is a lot better than we showed. Ryan Higgins coming in will put pressure on the all rounders, and a good friend from Sussex, Luke Wright, played with Dan Worrall at the Melbourne Stars and says he'll be perfect for English conditions so that'll make the bowling unit even stronger. Personally I always want to play in all the formats and so I want to take a few wickets in pre-season and put my hand up for a place."
Whilst Liddle's 2018 contract offer could be judged on his form last summer, Miles Hammond hasn't appeared on a first team scorecard for the past two years. Having made his debut as a teenager, the now 22 year old Hammond started - and then paused - an Architecture degree to concentrate on his cricket, and has recently returned from a week in Spain with the Tom Maynard Academy in preparation for the season.
"It was a good trip and nice to get outdoors and pick the brains of some knowledgeable coaches" Hammond said. "I'm lucky to be playing and while I have the architecture as something to hopefully go onto after cricket, the pressure comes from trying to keep both options open."
"My batting didn't go as well as I would have liked in 2017 so I've worked on some things during the winter and now feel I'm hitting the ball well. I'm not one to set statistical goals but I believe I can add to the side wherever I bat. I hope I can take on the experience of the last couple of years, break through and do well enough to get another contract."
Hammond faces competition from George Drissell if Gloucestershire should look for an off spinner at any point in the coming months, but the cupboard is certainly well stocked with middle order options, among them Kieran Noema-Barnett, who also extended his stay at the club by a year during the winter.
Originally signed by John Bracewell, the New Zealander was largely overlooked in the Royal London One-Day Cup but played regularly in the Championship and T20 Blast, with his red ball cricket potentially offering the best window of opportunity.
"I'm still not really where I want to be in terms of output for the team" Kieran told the website. "I'm working hard and hopefully that can change. 2017 was my best year here with the bat. I was a bit more comfortable with what was going on, so now it's about seeing how selection balances out and being ready if required."
"We certainly need more runs in the Championship, and the onus is on us as individuals to make big scores. With Dan Worrall likely to take one of the bowling spots there will be even more competition for the other three or four places."
"A one year contract is a new concept for me but the ball is in my court. I don't know of anyone who has had a really good year and then not been signed again. It creates a bit of hunger to do well in pre-season and then hold onto your place."
