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Gloucestershire are so close to winning promotion to Division One of the County Championship

Author: Roger Jackson, Posted: Monday, 23rd September 2019, 10:00

Gloucestershire skipper Chris Dent

Glorious Gloucestershire are on the brink of returning to Division One of the County Championship for the first time for 14 years.

They go into their final game of the season at home to fellow promotion hopefuls Northamptonshire knowing that nine points will be enough to make sure they are dining at the top table of four-day cricket in this country in 2020.

And few Gloucestershire fans would bet against them achieving their goal. Last week’s six-wicket win at Worcestershire – it was a bit of a canter at the end – was their fourth in five games, starting with that double win over Leicestershire and Worcestershire at the Cheltenham Cricket Festival back in July.

Gloucestershire currently sit in third place – the top three are promoted – 16 points clear of fourth-placed Glamorgan who are playing at Durham today.

Should Glamorgan get maximum points in the north east – 24 – Gloucestershire would then need to avoid defeat as well as collecting four bonus points. Teams are awarded five points for a draw.

If Gloucestershire and Glamorgan finish level on points, the Welsh club would go up as they have a better head-to-head record this season.

Northamptonshire are a further five points clear of Gloucestershire although the chasing pack are well adrift of Lancashire who have already been crowned champions.

Chris Dent’s side have added George Hankins to today’s squad after he made an unbeaten 223 off 214 balls for the 2nd XI in a four-day friendly against Somerset. Tom Smith, who injured his thumb in the Worcestershire match, is the man to miss out.

Squad: Dent, Bracey, Roderick, Hammond, Hankins, Higgins, Charlesworth, J Taylor, van Buuren, Payne, Shaw, M Taylor, Gabriel.

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Gloucestershire are so close to winning promotion to Division One of the County Championship

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