Gloucestershire Head Coach Richard Dawson admits his side\'s top order batting needs to improve as they seek a first Specsavers County Championship win of the season against Glamorgan at the Brightside Ground, Bristol, starting on Sunday.
Although Chris Dent and the evergreen Hamish Marshall have started the season well, Australian opener Cameron Bancroft is averaging only 16.71 in the Championship and number three Ian Cockbain 21, while skipper Gareth Roderick, at four, has made just 18 runs in his last five innings.
In their most recent game against Kent at Canterbury, Gloucestershire were reduced to 14/4 on the opening day and were 158 for eight in their second innings when a gutsy unbroken stand of 53 between Jack Taylor and David Payne salvaged a third draw in four matches.
Dawson said: “We were on the back foot from the first hour and it took some excellent lower order batting to save the game.
“It’s not as if the players without many runs have not been making starts.
"Cameron Bancroft has looked really good, but has been on the receiving end of some snorting deliveries and keeps finding a way to get out.
“Fortunately, our middle and late order have been getting scores. But we really need our top batsmen to start firing as a unit.”
Scope for changes are hampered by the continued absence of Will Tavare, who is yet to make a Championship appearance this season because of a knee problem.
“It’s really frustrating,” said Dawson. “Will suffered the injury taking a catch in our very first pre-season game.
“There has been some progress following a period of rest, but he won’t be ready for the Glamorgan game.”
That also applies to seamer Liam Norwell, who claimed 13 wickets in the opening three fixtures, but was ruled out of the Kent match by what Dawson describes as “a medical condition”, while declining to elaborate.
All-rounder Benny Howell, who has been under treatment for a back injury, scored a century in a recent second XI against Durham, but had hopes of getting some overs under his belt dashed when this week’s match against Essex was washed out.
He could be in the squad for the Glamorgan game, as could seamers Matt Taylor and Tom Hampton.
Dawson felt Gloucestershire’s bowling improved after a poor start against Kent. He added: “We talked at the end of the second day about bowling as a unit, instead of as individuals and the players responded to that on what proved an important day three for us."
Glamorgan's clash with Gloucestershire gets underway in Bristol at 11am.