Mark Alleyne believes at least six of Gloucestershire's T20 Blast heroes should feature in The Hundred later this summer.

The Gloucestershire head coach oversaw a stunning success in county cricket's highest profile tournament last season and he believes batsmen Miles Hammond and Ben Charlesworth, all-rounder Ollie Price and seam bowlers David Payne, Matt Taylor and Josh Shaw should all be rewarded with call-ups in The Hundred's upcoming draft.

The 34-year-old Payne was the standout bowler in last season’s T20 Blast, taking 33 wickets as Gloucestershire won the trophy for the first time, but he was well supported by Taylor and Shaw – Taylor took 29 wickets – while Hammond, Price and Charlesworth all made significant contributions with the bat.

The Hundred runs in August and players selected are unable to take part in the One-Day Cup, a 50-overs competition that is now very much the third competition in county cricket.

“We want our players to play in the biggest competitions available,” said Alleyne. “That means playing in The Hundred.

“By its nature, it’s an opportunity for the guys to show off what they can do.”

If more Gloucestershire players are involved in The Hundred it reduces the county’s chances in the One-Day Cup, of course, but Alleyne continued: “It gives other guys the chance to play first-team cricket.

“Dom Goodman showed last season he’s got some white-ball pedigree, he bowled a lot of important overs.”

The Hundred gets under way on Tuesday 5^th August with the final at Lord’s on Sunday 31^st August.

Gloucestershire, who head to South Africa for a 10-day pre-season training camp on Monday 10th March, begin the new season with a County Championship Division Two game against Derbyshire, in Derby, on Friday 4^th April.